Related: 

 About PINA 
 Our vision 
 Our mission      

1972-1985 

The Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) was formed following a conference of Pacific Island Editors held in Suva in 1972. 

At that meeting, editors from throughout the Pacific region established the regional media association, with the objective of promoting media freedom, training and development, and cooperation amongst Pacific Island media organisations. 

These have remained PINA's main objectives. 

PINA at first operated as a network, coordinated by the late Sir Leonard Usher (editor/publisher of The Fiji Times). 

Amongst the early achievements were the first regional training workshops in the Pacific Islands and the publication by a group of PINA editors of the first Pacific Islands-produced training manual, 'Get it Right, Write It Tight' 


1985-1996 

In 1985, a PINA conference in Suva, Fiji resolved to: 

- Make PINA into a professional association 
- Elect officers 
- & Hold annual conferences of the Pacific Islands news media 

Fatapito Fa'alogo (Editor, Samoa Times) was elected the first President of PINA and the late Tavake Fusimalohi (General Manager, Tonga Broadcasting Commission) as Executive Director, heading a regional executive board. 

In 1986, in Apia, Samoa, the PINA constitution was adopted, confirming the three core objectives of the Association: 

- To promote and defend freedom of expression and freedom of information and in turn media freedom 

- To promote and develop professional standards through training and education 

- To promote and develop professional fellowship and cooperation throughout the Pacific Islands news media 

PINA's leadership changed from Fatapito (Samoa) to Patterson Mae (Solomon Islands) and then Monica Miller of American Samoa. 

At the 1990 annual conference, members decided to set up a fulltime Secretariat, jointly funded by the Asia Foundation and PINA. 

The Secretariat was opened in Suva in 1991 and its first co-ordinator was former Fiji Times writer, Jacinta Govendar. She was later replaced by Nina Ratulele. 

In 1995, The Asia Foundation decided to close its Pacific Islands operations, ending support for regional organisations such as PINA. This came almost immediately after PINA and The Asia Foundation agreed on a five-year plan under which PINA would gradually take over full funding of the Secretariat. 

Faced with this abrupt and unexpected departure of the major source of both Secretariat and programme funding, PINA's executive board in 1996 set up a Future Directions committee. This was to consult widely with the members on future structure and funding for the Association and its Secretariat. 


1997- 2008 

At the 1997 PINA convention held in Port Vila, Vanuatu, PINA members unanimously adopted the PINA Future Directions report prepared by William Parkinson (chair), Laisa Taga and Peter Lomas. 

These were: 

- an undertaking by members to fully fund the secretariat 
- re-organise the association into four industry groups - radio, television, newspapers/magazines, and national associations 
& to better serve the special interests of the growing membership. 

Mr Parkinson (Fiji) was elected president and for the first time each industry group had its own meeting and elected its own head, who in turn represented them on the restructured executive board. 

It was also agreed to recruit another staff member at the Suva Secretariat to assist the co-ordinator. Seini Lakai joined in 1998. 

Following the 1999 PINA convention in Suva, members agreed to hold its convention every two years. 

In 2001 in Madang, Johnson Honimae (Solomon Islands) was elected president. Mr Parkinson did not seek reelection. But he agreed to requests to stay on the executive as immediate past president. 

In 2002, the secretariat staff was increased to three with the addition of training coordinator, Peter Lomas to the staff. 

In 2005, the Convention was held in Nuku'alofa, Tonga and major changes were introduced by the Board, led by ken Clark of Fiji Television. A new direction for PINA was proposed in a review conducted by Maxiumise Consultants of Fiji. The report was endorsed by members. 

The 2007 Convention held in Solomon Islands was organised by the Media Association of Solomon Islands. New Board Members elected were: 

President - Joseph Ealedona (PNG), 
Vice President - Jonas Cullwick (Vanuatu) 

Industry Members 

Television - Antoine Malsungai (Vanuatu) 
Radio - Matai Akauola (Fiji) 
Print - Moses Stevens (Vanuatu) 
National Associations - Cherelle Jackson (Samoa) 


PINA CONFERENCES 
1985 Suva 
1986 Apia 
1987 Nuku'alofa 
1988 Nuku'alofa (replacing Suva because of opposition from post-coup Fiji Interim Government) 
1989 Honiara 
1990 Pago Pago 
1991 Auckland and Rotorua 
1992 Alofi 
1993 Suva 
1994 Apia 
1995 Port Moresby 
1996 Nuku'alofa 
1997 Port Vila 
1998 Papeete 
1999 Suva 
2001 Madang 
2003 Apia 
2005 Nuku'alofa 
2007 Honiara 


PINA MEMBERSHIP 

PINA membership includes full and associate membership. Those eligible for full voting membership are newspapers and magazines, radio and TV stations, news agencies, and national associations of news media practitioners based in the Pacific Island Countries and Territories. 

Full membership fees are structured according to the size of the organisation. Since PINA's establishment bigger members have traditionally paid more to enable smaller members to pay what they can afford. 

Radio and TV stations must produce regular local news bulletins to be eligible for full membership. Those that don't are only eligible for associate membership. 

Associate members also include non-Pacific Islands news media with an interest in the Pacific. A new associate member category also includes regional and international organisations and donor agencies. 


NEWSPAPER/MAGAZINE INDUSTRY GROUP MEMBERS 

Papua New Guinea 

Post-Courier 
The National 
The Independent 
Wantok 
Solomon Star 
Port Vila Presse 
Vanuatu Trading Post 
Fiji Times 
Fiji Sun 
Daily Post 
Wansolwara 
Islands Business 
Tonga Star 
Taumu'a Lelei 
Matangi Tonga 
Samoa Observer 
Samoa News Online 
Niue Star 
Cook Islands Herald 
Tahitipresse 
Te Uekera (Kiribati) 
Kiribati New Star 
Marshall Islands Journal 
FSMIS 
Pacific Daily News (Guam) 
Marianas Variety 
Saipan Tribune 
Palau Horizon 


RADIO INDUSTRY GROUP MEMBERS 

PNG FM 
National Broadcasting Corporation (PNG)) 
Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation 
Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation (Radio Vanuatu) 
Communications Fiji Limited 
Fiji Broadcasting Corporation 
Tonga Broadcasting Commission 
Radio Polynesia 
Radio Sunshine (BCN) 
Radio Cook Islands 
Radio Kiribati 


TV INDUSTRY GROUP MEMBERS 

EMTV 
Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation 
Fiji Television 
Television Tonga 
Televise Samoa 
Television Niue (BCN) 
Cook Islands Television 


NATIONAL ASSOCIATIONS GROUP 

Papua New Guinea Media Council 
Media Association of Solomon Islands 
Media Association blong Vanuatu 
Fiji Media Council 
Journalists Association of (Western) Samoa 


PINA PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

- IFEX, the UNESCO-supported global network of media freedom and freedom of expression groups 
- Commonwealth Press Union 
- Asia Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development 
- Commonwealth Broadcasting Association 


PINA FUNDING 

The PINA Secretariat is funded by membership fees and subscription to the news service, PACNEWS. 


PINA Partners 

UNESCO (PINA is an NGO in official relations with UNESCO) 
Sasakawa Pacific Island Nations Fund 
AusAID Pacific Media Initiative 
Thomson Foundation (United Kingdom) 
United Nations Children's Fund 
Konrad Adenauer Foundation 
ACP (African, Caribbean, Pacific) Group 
European Union (EU) 
United Nations Environment Programme 
UK Department for International Development (DFID) 
Cox International Centre for Mass Communication Research 
Commonwealth Media Development Fund 
Commonwealth Press Union 
SeaWeb 
World Press Freedom Committee 
United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific 
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations 
Secretariat of the Pacific Community 
Pacific Area Newspaper Publishers' Association 
International Centre for Journalists (USA) 


PINA ACTIVITIES 

1. PACNEWS 

The PINA Secretariat operates a daily regional news service, PACNEWS for its members and subscribers. Bulletins are compiled from member contributions and correspondents around the Pacific region. 

2. Freedom of Expression/World Press Freedom Day 

PINA is the region's main promoter and defender of the fundamental human rights to freedom of expression and information and in turn media freedom. PINA is the Pacific Islands member of IFEX, the UNESCO-supported global network of leading media freedom and freedom of expression groups. The Secretariat monitors media freedom and freedom of expression activities throughout the region and provides regular alerts to IFEX. 

In conjunction with UNESCO, PINA coordinates regional World Press Freedom Day activities and campaigns and produces resource material for distribution throughout the region. These have included the continuing Media Freedom is Your Freedom campaigns and the 50th anniversary celebrations highlighting the fundamental human rights guaranteed in Article 19. 

3. Training 

PINA through a Memorandum of Understanding signed with the Pacific Islands Forum Secretariat (PIFS) in December 2007, will organise regional media training workshops to run parallel with PIFS regional ministerial meetings. This training initiative has been on going for a number of years, which has trained regional journalists on covering regional issues. PINA is promoting the use of Pacific media trainers for the regional media training programme. 


PINA SECRETARIAT STAFF 

Since the merger of PINA and the Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association (PIBA) in 2004, the Secretariat reduced its activities due to funding constraints. 

The Secretariat is managed by Makereta Komai who is also Editor of the regional news agency, PACNEWS. The Senior Journalist is Pita Ligaiula.