Fiji has officially put forward its bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, proposing Savusavu as the location. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven countries in Alofi, Niue, for the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit.
A decision regarding the host country for the 2026 summit is anticipated later this week. The summit commenced today, having already featured four pre-summit workshops. Among the key topics highlighted are the enhancement of national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and addressing emerging climate and environmental issues affecting the Pacific region.
A significant aspect of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, facilitated by femLINKpacific and backed by The Asia Foundation, focused on promoting gender balance in media leadership and representation. This session has attracted over 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit is centered around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” with discussions intended to tackle how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and external influences. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored PINA’s pivotal role in shaping regional media and upholding journalistic values in the face of these challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the impact of AI on journalism and the necessity of protecting press freedoms. The summit will culminate in the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.