Kora Nou, managing director of Papua New Guinea’s National Broadcasting Corporation, officially opened the 16th Pacific Media Partnership Conference in Port Moresby on Thursday, calling on media leaders across the region to sharpen collaboration as they confront rapid technological change and climate-driven challenges. The two-day meeting brings together journalists, broadcasters and development partners from across the Blue Pacific to map out practical steps for sustaining public-interest media.
Nou said this year’s theme, “Resilient Voices: Empowering Blue Pacific Media,” was chosen to reflect a convergence of pressures facing the sector — from shifting audience expectations and economic constraints to the growing influence of artificial intelligence and climate-related risks. “Let us share ideas openly, learn from one another’s experiences, explore new partnerships and identify practical solutions that will strengthen the sustainability and impact of Pacific media,” he told delegates, urging them to take part in discussions, masterclasses and networking sessions across the programme.
Practical training is a strong component of the conference agenda. Organisers have scheduled hands-on workshops including radio scheduling, low-cost content production and content distribution aimed at helping smaller broadcasters improve efficiency and expand audience reach. Panels will also examine the state of Pacific media in 2026, reporting on sensitive issues, media innovation, climate journalism, misinformation, strategic partnerships and business sustainability.
Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union Secretary-General Ahmed Nadeem addressed delegates as well, stressing the need for media organisations to build resilience and adapt business models in an increasingly digital environment. His remarks echoed Nou’s call for more international support for capacity building, technology transfer and content exchange to amplify Pacific storytelling on global platforms.
The conference is expected to close with a communiqué to be signed by participating media organisations, setting out key priorities and areas for future cooperation. Organisers say the document will aim to codify practical commitments that emerged from workshops and panels, and to strengthen cross-border collaboration on training, content-sharing and joint reporting projects — especially on climate and cross-cutting issues affecting Pacific communities.
The Port Moresby gathering follows a series of regional media events held in Fiji in recent years that have focused on media freedom, leadership and gender inclusion. Last year’s conference in Suva highlighted leadership’s role in safeguarding media freedom, while other events have prioritised women’s participation and capacity-building. Nou framed this year’s conference as a continuation of those conversations, but with an intensified focus on technology, sustainability and the unique vulnerabilities of Pacific island states.
Delegates said they hope the outcomes of the Port Moresby meeting will translate into concrete support for community-level journalism and practical tools for coping with digital disruption and climate impacts — ensuring Pacific stories continue to be told by Pacific people for regional and global audiences.