Fiji has officially put forth a bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu suggested as the venue. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven nations in Alofi, Niue, for the 7th PINA Media Summit.
A decision regarding the host country for the 2026 summit is anticipated later this week. The summit, which kicks off today, has already featured participants taking part in four pre-summit workshops.
Discussions have focused on key issues such as strengthening national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and tackling emerging climate and environmental challenges in the Pacific.
A standout aspect of this year’s pre-summit is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and backed by The Asia Foundation. The workshop aims to improve gender balance in media leadership and representation and has attracted over 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will center around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” with sessions aimed at examining how Pacific media can adapt to technological innovations and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, highlighted PINA’s essential role in influencing regional media and upholding journalistic integrity in the face of these challenges.
Throughout the week, attendees will delve into the impact of AI on journalism and the critical need to protect press freedoms. The summit will conclude with the publication of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.