Fiji has formally put forward a proposal to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu suggested as the location for the event. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven countries in Alofi, Niue, for the 7th PINA Media Summit.
The selection of the host country for 2026 is anticipated to be made later this week. The summit officially commenced today and has already included four pre-summit workshops, where participants have engaged in discussions on critical topics such as enhancing national media associations, reporting on public financial management, and tackling emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
One notable aspect of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, facilitated by femLINKpacific with support from The Asia Foundation, aimed at improving gender equity in media leadership and representation. This workshop has attracted more than 15 participants from organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The primary summit will center on the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” focusing on how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and outside pressures. Stanley Simpson, general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, highlighted the importance of PINA in influencing regional media and upholding journalistic integrity in the face of these challenges.
Throughout the week, attendees will examine the impact of AI on journalism and emphasize the need to protect press freedoms. The summit will wrap up with the unveiling of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.