Fiji has officially put forth its proposal to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, suggesting Savusavu as the location for the event. This announcement was made as over 70 media professionals from seven nations gathered in Alofi, Niue, for the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit.
A decision regarding which country will host the 2026 summit is anticipated later this week. The current summit, which commenced today, has already featured four pre-summit workshops. Key topics under discussion include the strengthening of national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and addressing emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
A standout component of this year’s pre-summit activities is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation, aimed at promoting gender balance in media leadership and representation. This session has attracted more than 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will center on the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” focusing on how Pacific media can evolve in response to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, highlighted PINA’s crucial role in influencing regional media and upholding journalistic values during challenging times.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the influence of AI in journalism while emphasizing the importance of protecting press freedoms. The summit is set to conclude with the publication of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.