Papua New Guinea has taken centre stage in shaping the future of regional journalism as media executives, broadcasters, and editors from across the region converged on APEC Haus today for the 16th Pacific Media Partnership Conference (PMPC).
This year’s theme is Resilient Voices: Empowering Blue Pacific Media.
The national broadcaster, the National Broadcasting Corporation of PNG is hosting the conference with support from the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU).
The two-day conference, which starts today, opens against a backdrop of intense digital disruption, rising misinformation, and economic pressures threatening the independence of Pacific newsrooms.
NBC Managing Director Kora Nou and Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) Secretary-General Ahmed Nadeem will deliver the opening addresses, setting the tone for urgent high-level discussions on media resilience in 2026.
NBC deputy managing director Michael Samuga said regional leaders would focus on forward-looking strategies rather than just discussing existing challenges.
“Key amongst them is the CEO panel, and that comprises chief executives of Pacific broadcasters,” Samuga said.
“They will discuss… more of looking forward and what are the areas that Pacific media can collaborate in strengthening our storytelling in the region and to the world.”
Samuga said the conference would conclude with a joint communiqué outlining action items and future plans for regional media cooperation.
ABU head of radio Andrew Davies said holding face-to-face discussions was critical given the vast geographical distances between Pacific island nations.
Davies said this year’s sessions would tackle heavy-hitting issues, from safety in journalism to financial sustainability and joint content creation.
“This year the focus is very much going to be on some key topics about covering challenging topics particularly for journalists, but also through to topics like monetisation,” he said.
“But also, things about partnerships and co-productions and how Pacific media across the ABU membership can work together more closely, whether that’s in sport or in news.”
31 international delegates have travelled from Tuvalu, Fiji, Vanuatu, Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Australia and New Zealand to attend.
They will be joined by 110 local participants from Papua New Guinea’s media and public relations sectors. The conference runs from 02 – 03 June.
Over the next 48 hours, delegates will discuss challenges facing the regional press gallery, including reporting on sensitive national security and social issues, climate crisis journalism, and navigating the rise of artificial intelligence and digital disinformation.
A series of workshops will roll out practical blueprints for radio scheduling, low-cost content production, and modern digital distribution, which are practical tools aimed at helping resource-constrained Pacific broadcasters protect their independence and expand their audience reach.
The conference will conclude tomorrow with the signing of a historic joint communiqué.
The document is expected to lock in a unified regional strategy, setting strict priorities for future funding, technical cooperation, and editorial solidarity among Pacific media houses.
