Fiji has formally presented a bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu suggested as the potential location. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven nations in Alofi, Niue, for the 7th PINA Media Summit.
The choice of the host country for 2026 is anticipated to be revealed later this week. The summit commences officially today, having already featured four pre-summit workshops that facilitated discussions on strengthening national media associations, reporting on public finance management, and tackling emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
A key highlight of this year’s pre-summit activities is the “Women in Media” workshop, spearheaded by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation, aimed at promoting gender equality in media leadership and representation. This session has attracted over 15 participants from various organizations across the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will revolve around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests,” with dialogues focused on how Pacific media can evolve amidst technological advancements and external challenges. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, highlighted PINA’s crucial role in shaping regional media and upholding journalistic integrity in the face of these challenges.
Throughout the week, attendees will delve into the implications of AI in journalism and the critical need to protect press freedoms. The summit will wrap up with the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.