Fiji has officially put forth its bid to host the 2026 Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) Media Summit, with Savusavu suggested as the location for the event. This announcement coincides with the ongoing 7th PINA Media Summit taking place in Alofi, Niue, where more than 70 media professionals from seven nations are gathered.
The host country will be announced later this week. Currently, the summit has commenced with participants engaging in four preliminary workshops.
Key topics being addressed include the strengthening of national media associations, reporting on public financial management, and tackling emerging climate and environmental issues in the Pacific.
A highlight of this year’s pre-summit activities is the “Women in Media” workshop, organized by femLINKpacific and supported by The Asia Foundation, which aims to improve gender equity in media leadership and representation. This session has attracted over 15 participants from various organizations in the Pacific and Australia.
The main summit will revolve around the theme “Navigating Media Resilience: Press Freedoms, AI, and Geopolitical Interests.” Discussions will focus on how Pacific media can adapt to technological advancements and external challenges.
Stanley Simpson, the general secretary of the Fijian Media Association, underscored PINA’s significance in shaping media in the region and upholding journalistic standards despite these challenges.
Throughout the week, participants will delve into the influence of AI on journalism and the critical need to protect press freedoms. The summit will culminate in the release of the “State of the Pacific Media Report,” followed by the PINA Annual General Meeting.