Fiji has made an official bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, proposing the town of Savusavu as the location. This announcement coincides with the gathering of over 70 media professionals from seven countries in Alofi, Niue, for the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit.
A decision regarding the host country for the 2026 summit is anticipated later this week. The summit, which officially commenced today, has already included four pre-summit workshops focused on various key issues. Topics such as the strengthening of national media associations, public finance management reporting, and the response to emerging climate and environmental trends in the Pacific have been at the forefront of discussions.
One highlight from this year’s pre-summit workshops is the “Women in Media” initiative, organized 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 throughout the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will center on the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests.” It will address how Pacific media can adjust to technological advancements and external pressures. Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored PINA’s critical role in guiding regional media and upholding journalistic integrity amid these evolving challenges.
Throughout the week, attendees will delve into the impact of AI on journalism and the vital importance of protecting press freedoms. The summit will conclude with the publication of the “State of the Pacific Media Report” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.