A significant book, Waves of Change: Media, Peace, and Development in the Pacific, was unveiled at the 2024 Pacific International Media Conference, which took place earlier this month at the University of the South Pacific in Suva, Fiji.
This event, the first of its kind in two decades, provided a vital forum to tackle the urgent challenges and key issues confronting Pacific media.
Associate Professor Shailendra Singh, the conference convenor and co-editor of the new book, highlighted the conference’s main objectives — to encourage research, discussion, and debate on Pacific media, and to deepen the understanding of its challenges.
“Our region has not been immune to the devastating impacts of the two major events that have shaken the media sector — digital disruption and the COVID-19 pandemic,” he stated.
“Both events have posed significant challenges for news media organizations and journalists, threatening the industry as we know it. This is not widely recognized or understood outside the news media industry.”
Waves of Change: Media, Peace, and Development in the Pacific, co-authored by Dr. Singh, Fiji Deputy Prime Minister Professor Biman Prasad, and Dr. Amit Sarwal, presents an extensive collection of interdisciplinary research, insights, and analyses at the crossroads of media, conflict, peacebuilding, and development in the Pacific – a region undergoing rapid and profound change.
The book builds on Dr. Singh’s previous work with Professor Prasad, Media and Development: Issues and Challenges in the Pacific Islands, published 16 years ago.
Dr. Singh observed that media issues had grown increasingly complex due to rising poverty, underdevelopment, corruption, and political instability.
“Media and communication play essential roles in the framing of conflict, security, and development in public and political discourses, ultimately influencing peace and stability. This is particularly true in the digital media era,” Dr. Singh remarked.
Dr. Amit Sarwal said the primary aim of the new book was to address and revisit critical questions linking media, peacebuilding, and development in the Pacific. He expressed a desire to bridge gaps in training, publishing, and enhance practical applications in these crucial areas, especially among young journalists in the Pacific.
Professor Biman Prasad is hopeful that this collection will illuminate the intricate relationship between media, peace, and development in the Pacific. He stressed the need for prioritizing planning, strategizing, and funding in this sector.
“By harnessing the potential of media for peacebuilding, stakeholders in the Pacific can work towards a more peaceful and prosperous future for all,” Professor Prasad added.
Waves of Change: Media, Peace, and Development in the Pacific is published collaboratively by Australia’s Kula Press and India’s Shhalaj Publishing House.
The book features nine chapters authored by dedicated researchers and academics, including David Robie, John Rabuogi Ahere, Sanjay Ramesh, Kalinga Seneviratne, Kylie Navuku, Narayan Gopalkrishnan, Hurriyet Babacan, Usha Sundar Harris, and Asha Chand.
Dr. Robie is the founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review, which also marked 30 years of publishing at the book launch.
The 2024 Pacific International Media Conference was organized in partnership with the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) and the Asia Pacific Media Network (APMN).