This week the ABC hosted the inaugural Pacific Australia Media Leaders Meeting in Ultimo, Sydney, Australia.
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) Managing Director David Anderson and PINA (Pacific Islands News Association) President and National Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) PNG Managing Director Kora Nou hosted 27 CEOs, MDs and Editors from media houses in 12 countries across the Pacific. Australian attendees included leadership representatives from First Nations media, commercial free-to-air and print media, independent and public broadcasters.
The meeting on 28 February was supported by PINA and the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS), a media strengthening initiative delivered by ABC International Development and funded by the Australian Government.
The purpose of this initial meeting was to build relationships, identify high priority challenges and opportunities to work together on, and set the agenda for the group into the future.
The Group discussed opportunities to work together in skills development, content creation sharing and production, management and leadership, finance and funding models, and technical broadcast expertise.
The Group recognised a range of shared industry challenges and opportunities, including addressing the digital divide, sustainable business models and new funding streams, partnerships, transmission arrangements and media accessibility.
Leaders agreed the Group would:
•unite as one voice to advocate for the importance of government support for a vibrant, independent regional media sector;
•share business model insights and experiences to support sustainability with each other;
•facilitate access to each other’s organisations to support collaboration.
The ABC and PINA will continue to work with the Group to define mechanisms for continued engagement over the next five years.
