Fiji has formally presented its bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, proposing the town of Savusavu as the location for the event. This announcement coincides with the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit being held in Alofi, Niue, where over 70 media professionals from seven countries are gathered.
The decision regarding the host country for 2026 is anticipated to be made later this week. The summit, which officially begins today, has already included four pre-summit workshops where attendees have engaged in discussions on various pressing topics. These include the enhancement of national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and tackling emerging climate and environmental issues within the Pacific region.
One highlight of this year’s pre-summit activities is the “Women in Media” workshop, facilitated by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation. This workshop aims to promote gender balance in media leadership and representation and has attracted over 15 participants from organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will revolve around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” focusing on how Pacific media can adjust to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, emphasized PINA’s crucial role in shaping regional media and upholding journalistic standards despite these challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the influence of AI on journalism and the importance of protecting press freedoms. The event will wrap up with the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.