RESEARCH INFORMATION SERVICESrT aJCT rcJTP

L"iWES. ROi, 9S8

: Pacific Islands News nociatonSocial Sciences & Linguistics Institute

Commun4cadon institute

Like the Islander, the Newshas an editorial in each issue. Ifthe issue of whether to expandNorfolk's air field to jet capacityis any indication, both newspapersare adamant about preserving theisland's quiet and calm. ""Environ-

ment', on Norfolk,' the News wrote,

"means a lot of things eng neers

don't think about. It means beingable to leave your door unlocked.

It means being able to talk with

someone, instead of rushing past in

pursuit of a dollar. It means

September 1975

The first edition of TheNorfolk Island News appeared on

May 26th giving local residentsthe opportunity to choose betweeneither the News or the 10-year-oldThe Norfolk Islander, or read both.Edited and published by Ed Howard,a retired American public relationsexecutive, The Norfolk Island Newsis a weekly tabloid printed on aGestetner duplicator.

Howard planned to take over

editorial control of The Norfolk

Islander but apparently there was

a change of mind at the last min-

ute. Toe and Tim Lloyd, the hus-

band-and-wife founders and pub-lishers of the Islander, said that

Howard had this option and the

decision was his. Pacific Islands

Monthly reported earlier that the

Lloyds had decided to "opt out."

The new paper places a

heavier reliance on photographsthan the Islander and includes a

tourist oriented supplement.Editorial coverage is fairlyextensive covering political news,

large social events as well as

having business and living pages.Local sports coverage alsoreceives a full page.

An "Inquiring Photographer"column searches out local opinionon various issues. A recentedition asked, "What do you thinkof Radio Norfolk?" AlastairWalton, a visitor to Norfolk,

responded, "Local news is a

scream. When you turn on theradio in Sydney the news is alwaysfull of violence and crime. Themost exciting thing the radio

reports here is a lost dog.'

Suva, FujiHonolulu, HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii

Vol. 5, No. 3

living in a small community ofindividuals--not unknown, namelessfaces."

It appears that the localbusiness community is making gooduse of advertising space in theNews as well as the establishedIslander. Some firms, such as the

large Burns Php, take out full

page ads.Tom Lloyd, Howard's publishing

rival and an old hand experienced

(story continued pg. 7)

LECTA PflIA ALAUMA RESIGNSAS PNA CHIAHRINAIAN,; CITESNEW RSPONSBLfl1ES

Leota Pita Alailinia, managing London, USAID in Washington, anddirector of the weekly South SeasCIDA in Ottawa, as well as otherStar in Apia, has resigned as theplaces (PICN, February 1975). PINA

organizing chairman of the Pacificis still following up on many ofIslands News Association. Leotathe leads discovered on the trip.Pita has taken on new community

r'lNresponsibilities, and felt someone

---j-else should take over the PINA post.-

Discussions on is successor are

going on, and any comments or

suggestions can be made throughL. C. Usher, organizing director, Peacesat

2

in the Suva secretariat,Leota Pita attended the first PNG Report

3

South Pacific Editors Conferencein 1972 in Suva, and also was a Australian Radio

5

leader at te mid-1974 meeting,where he was named organizing

Press Freedom

4

chairman. Soon alter being namedchairman, Leota Pi'a combined his 40 Cents Damages

6

attendance at the orld populationconference in Europe with calls on PINA News

PINA's behalf at UNESCO in Paris,the Commonwealth Secretariat in

The State of Hawaii intends to

propose experimentation on the Ap-plications Technology Satellite - 6

(ATS-6) in its third year of opsr--ation which is expected to begin inthe fall of 1976. The first yearof experiments carried out via ATS-6included health and educationactivities conducted via television

(both two-way and one-way withaudio return) over several sectorsof the North American continent.The satellite has recently been re-

positioned and is now being used byIndia to beam rural developmentprograms into low-cost receivers inas many as 2,400 remote villages.

Hawaii's proposal preparationand coordination is being handled

by the Hawaii Research Center forFutures Study of the Social Sciencesand Linguistics Institute. Inter-island experiments to be proposedinclude citizen-government inter-action and both programmatic andadministrative uses in the areasof higher education, vocationaleducation, health and welfare. Itis hoped that such experiments maybe of interest and use to other

island and multi-ethnic communities.

PEACESAT EXPANDS

The PEACESAT communicationsnetwork expanded its reach with

the addition of another terminalat Port Vila, New Hebrides. The

new station is working in coopera-tion with the Kawenu Training

College in Port Vila.Stuart Kingan, PEASESAT

technical advisor in Rarotonga,

supervised the construction of the

terminal. The new station began

July 14 and raises the number of

ground stations in the network to

fourteen.

In a related development, theSouth Pacific Commission recentlyjoined five other PEACESAT membersin the PEACESAT Consortium. TheSPCs Quarterly News of Activitiessaid that the regional group andthe University of Hawaii, the

University of the South Pacific,the University of Technology atLae, Papua New Guinea, Wellington

Polytechnic, and the Trust Terri-

tory of the Pacific Islands willuse consortium membership to pro-mote the satellite Program. TheSPCs ground terminal was esto"-lished in 1974.

NEW TITLEFOR BUSINESS PUBLICATION

The growth and diversifica-tion of business interests in thePacific have caused Hosting and

Purchasing, the monthly businessmagazine, to change its name toSouth Pacific Islands BusinessNews. Just over two years old,the magazine is distributed freeto 1,200 community leaders in theSouth Pacific.

Shirley Barker, a director ofNews (South Pacific) LTD, pub-lishers of the magazine, said,'When we started the publication,the tourist industry was predomi-nant. Happily, other types of

industry are coming onto the scene,and growing. So we must widen our

scope accordingly.Subscription is carefully

controlled and Barker indicatedthat anyone interested in receivingthe magazine must apply on companyletterhead giving their title inthe company. The address is News(South Pacific) LTD, RaiwaqaDevelopment Building, P. 0. Box5176, Raiwaqa, Suva, Fiji.

1

PNG SEEKS FILMS

How does a newly independentPacific country build a film

library which depicts its adminis-trative development? Papua NewGuinea's Office of Information is

trying to add to its small collec-tion by appealing to all residents,both past and present, to donate

appropriate motion picture footageto the Film Library. The collec-tion will be known as the NationalFilm Library of Papua New Guinea.

Brian K. Amini, recently named

Director of the Office of Informa-tion, indicated that the libraryis also willing to copy materialand return the original film toowners. Film may be submitted tothe Film Library, c/o Office ofInformation, KonedobLi, Papua NewGuinea.

DOUGLAS WITH SPC

Hima Douglas, former Informa-tion Officer on Miue, has replacedIan Johnstone as the South PacificCommission's Educational Broad-casts Officer. Douglas took uphis new post in mid-July.

The SPC's Quarterly News ofActivities said that during thetransfer Technical Assistant JohnUsman continued to produce programsat the commission's RegionalMedia Centre in Suva.

SUPPLY WOES

From the Cook Islands News

May 29, 1975.Due to certain printing

materials and chemicals for platemaking, short supplied, it is notpossible to produce the Cook IslandsNews in its usual form, "The Xeroxprocess is to be used until the

urgently required chemicals havebeen received

The change therefore, has re-sulted in the non-production ofarticles including the series TokyoConference on Marine Parks." Thisseries of articles will be continuednext week.

CASSERLY CONDUCTING

BROADCAST TRAINING

Fr. Pat Casserly, former head

of the Radio Department of the

Catholic Communication Institute

of Ireland, is on a five-yearsecondment to train Catholic broad-

casters in the Pacific. He is

conducting his training program for

seminarians at the Holy Spirit

Regional Seminary near Port Moresby,

Papua New Guinea.

Uhvers~ty Research InstuteNew PICN Publisher

An agreement to continue

publication of the Pacific IslandsCommunication Newsletter wasreached in July by the PacificIslands News Association and theEast-West Communication institutewith the Social Sciences and Lin-

guistics institute at the Univer-

sity of Hawaii.PICN was founded at the Com-

munication Institute in 1970, and

in the past year the Pacific

Islands News Association assumed

joint sponsorship. With changesin programming and budget require-ments, the Communication Institutecould no longer continue publica-tion responsibilities, and PINAfelt it was too early for it to doso.

(story continued pg. 3)

PNG BROADCASTING NEEDSThe following article

is taken from a longerreport by Ian K. Mackay,Assistant to the Chairman,

National BroadcastingCommission of Papua New

Guinea.

Papua New Guinea with its

910,000 square miles and a popula-tion of 2,500,000 people is a

nation of village groups. Approxi-mately 90% of the population live

in scattered villages. The known

languages and dialects exceed700--a sixth of the worlds

languages--and many of the clansare not very tolerant of eachothers tastes, preferences and

needs.

Broadcasting as the only massmedium in the country is a com-municator and a source of informa-tion. It provides a platform fromwhich to speak and be heard. Itbroadcasts in area languages anddialects which with no inherentwritten culture are the reposi-tories of the people's history andlegends.

RequirementPapua New Guinea broadcasting,

in addition to entertaining and

informing, is expected to seek the

participation of all potentials in

the community. The constant aim

must be to motivate the people to

play an active part in the economicand social endeavours of Government.

Broadcasting must work for an

understanding of governmentpolicies in relation to developmentand it must promote political,economic and social awareness. A

large percentage of programmes isaimed at arousing a national con-sciousness, contributing to thebreakdown of ethnic, tribal andsocial prejudices and assisting thework of field officers by arousinginterest and securing their parti-cipation.

political machine and the respon-sibilities inherent in serving the

public.

Regulatory and operative powersThe Minister for Communica-

tions administers the BroadcastingCommission Act, 1973 which controlsthe NBC and he also administersthe Radiocommunications Act, 1973under which the Department of Postsand Telegraphs operates. Thus allfacets of broadcasting includingoperating power and propagation ofradio signals, allocation of fre-

quencies, issuing of licenses

through to the end product (pro-grammes) are incorporated in oneministerial portfolio. This

speeds up the decision-makingprocess when government policy isinvolved.

The Broadcasting Board is

responsible for the affairs of theCommission. They are trustees to

safeguard the public interest. Itis customary for a Board to seek

guidance on policy from the Chair-man and when decisions arereached the Head of the Service--the Director-General--implementsthem. Sometimes there are diffi-culties in drawing a definitiveline between policy and its

implementation, between the Chair-man representing the Board and theDirector-General as Head of Service.In Papua New Guinea the two posi-tions are held by one man.

(story continued pg. 6)

RATU MARA DISCUSSESTV IN HONOLULU TALK

Prime Minister Ratu SirKamisese Kapaiwai Tuimaciiai Mara

said in Honolulu in late July that

Fiji must provide the entire

country with electrification beforemuch consideration is given to theintroduction of television. RatuMara expressed two major concernsover television.

Broadcasting must be solidlybased at village level and itshould develop an understanding ofother cultures and foster desirable

aspects of the indigenous cultureof the area. In addition some

programmes must be related to thesocial objectives of governmentpolicy while maintaining a sharpline of division between the

First, he said if televisionwere introduced before full elec-trification, it would only attractmore people to the urban areas withtelevision.

Second, he said Fiji may notbe able to produce enough of itsown program materials, and wouldbe forced to import programs fromabroad. He noted he had seen

enough television abroad to know itwas not all suitable for Fiji.

The Prime Minister spoke with

participants at the East West Cen-ter during an informal sessionafter he delivered the DillinghamLecture the previous evening. He

gave his views on the introductionof television in response to a

question.

I A1L J

flJA

(continued from pg. 2)

The situation came to theattention of Dr. Donald Topping,director of SSLI, and he agreed toserve as publisher for the nexttwo years. Under the agreement,SSLI will assume overall responsi-bility for P1CM, and more particu-larly publication of the newsletter.PINA will continue to provideeditorial material for the publi-cation, as will the CommunicationInstitute. Postage costs will beshared among the three sponsors.

"We're simply delighted thatthe Social Sciences and LinguisticsInstitute is able to take over

responsibility for the newsletter,"

Jim Richstad, editor, said of the

agreement. "Not only will the

publication contnue but with SSLInow directly involved, we shouldsee a broadening of the contentinto more social science and lin-

guistics areas. It can only makethe newsletter stronger. The SSLIoffer is greatly appreciated."

The SSLI is an organizedresearch unit of the University of

Hawaii. Its primary goal is to

promote and conduct research in the

social sciences and linguistics in

the Pacific, with particularemphasis on what the social

sciences may contribute towards the

concept of alternative futures in

the Pacific, and how best to

communicate these concepts.

"The SSLI is pleased to have

this opportunity to join in the

effort to promote intra-Pacificcommunication through this News-letter, and to keep ourselvesbetter informed of developments onvarious fronts in the PacificIslands," Topping said when the

joint arrangement for the publica-tion of PICN was proposed.

L. G. Usher, organizingdirector of PINA, said he plans to

mimeograph a monthly newsletter formembers of PINA only, and willcontinue contributions to PICN.

V3IJWISEXPOUNDSON PRESS FREEDOM

-- L - -0 r- -c I-

!M IF -V-1

MICRONESIAN PRESS FREEDOM I"Section 1, News reportersare free to report all newsworthy

The Micronesian ConstitutionalConvention meeting on Saipan was

considering a number of civilliberties proposals at press time.

Introduced by Marshall Islands

delegate Carl Heine, they dealtwith Freedom of Speech and Press;Freedom of Religion; and, Freedom

of Migration and Movement.

According to a Marianas

Variety account, Heine said, "I

want to see in the Micronesian Con-

stitution protection for the peopleof Micronesia against not onlythemselves but also against the

government."

Chairman of the convention'sCivil Liberties Committee, Heinestressed that, "the people... should

have the freedom of speech and

press to criticize their government--if it becomes a tyrant and im-

poses its will on the people."

MICRONESIAN PRESS FREEDOM II

The issue of freedom of the

press in Micronesia is being de-

bated with vigor. While the

Micronesian Constitutional Con-

vention (see related story) is the

formal forum, the local press has

not ignored the issue. Marianas

Variety columnist "B.B." took on

the subject in a recent issue:

"Delegates from the lengthand breadth of Micronesia are hereon Saipan to write a constitutionfor these islands. One of the

major provisions of a constitutionis an article providing for free-dom of the press. My friendSurena, an island novelist who hasnot as yet found an agreeableagent, has drafted a paragraphdealing with freedom of the presswhich I think should be includedin the Micronesian Constitution.Last night I swiped his draft

while he was mixing drinks for us

and, at the risk of being prose-cuted for robbery, I am leakinghis thoughts to the members ofthe Constitutional Convention.

"Surena's draft is asfollows:

"Article -. Freedom of thePress, Members of the Micronesian

press corps shall be immune from

arrest at all times, except duringpolitical campaigns for publicoffices and during the sessionsof the national legislature.

evenss except those Ud I I w:

Sons and daughters of traditionalchiefs.

"Section 2 No member of

the press may be allowed on the

premises of bars and restaurantswhere government officials con-

gregate for the purpose of sellingpublic contracts.

"Section 3 Wives of highgovernment officials may, at anytime, pass messages to newspapereditors, provided such messagesare relayed through respectablehairdressers.

"Section 4 There shall beone punishment for newspapereditors: death by hanging.

"Section 5 Where there isdoubt as to the veracity of state-

ments made in a court of law by a

news reporter and a politician,the latter's statement shall pre-vail.

"Section 6 Joe Murphy ofGuam, Joe Murphy of Majuro, andAbed Younis of Saipan are herebyawarded permanent abodes in thenational hotel for undesireab'es,

and any constable below the rankof corporal is authorized to

escort these gentlemen to theirrooms at all times of the day

except lunch time.

"Section 7 Radio broad-casters must know how to whistlethe tune of that favorite song,'Aye, Aye, My Job is on theBalance.

"Section 8 Television sta-tions shall be locked duringbroadcasting hours to prevent thenational leader from climbinç overthe fence, entering the studio,and ordering the man on duty to

immediately change a program thatis not agreeable to the leader'swife.

"Section 9 Subject toArticle VII, Section 3 (Culture),no member of the press may, at anytime, indulge in that conternptablepastime of exposing traditions andcustoms that are no longer appli-cable to the several districts ofthe republic.

"Section 10 All these

privileges may be suspended duringa wedding ceremony.

"I must apologize to myreaders for not copying Surena'sentire draft--I have been calledto the phone by Surena's lawyer."

With political and attendantsocial charçs coming quickly inthe Trust Territory's MarianasDistrict, the local press has

attempted to monitor these develop-ments accurately, and in most cases,

objectively. But the weekly

Marjari, Saipan's highestcirculation newspaper, has runinto the usual official reluctanceto work with the press that privatenewspapers everywhere experience.

In an editorial from the

duly 4, 1975 Variety, editor and

publisher Abed Younis criticized

a specific instance in which aMarianas legislator asked him to

leave an allegedly public meetingof the Marianas District Legis-lature. "Closing the doors and

holding a meeting," he wrote, "or

closing down the local newspaperin order to keep the public of the

Marianas from being informed iswhat some of the Marianas leaders

would do if they had a chance."

Younis intimated that anattitude of hostility toward afree press can have serious con-

sequences. "The newspaper receiveda call the night of the Plebiscite

(the recent vote on U.S. Common-wealth status) in which theunidentified caller stated that,'now that the Covenant has been

approved, your newspaper will go,you and your family will be de-

ported to other Island'" Vounis

had in previous editorials opposedapproving the covenant.

In a challenge to those whowould muzzle the press, Vounissaid, 'Our main objective in

printing a newspaper is to keep thepeople of the Marianas well in-formed of all that concerns theirfuture. That's why this paperexists and will continue to exist."

NEW SAIPAN TV STUDIO

WSZE, Saipans only televisionstation, is expected to send a

stronger signal from its new loca-tion atop one of the island's

higher peaks. According to theMarianas Variety, a new antenna andtransmitter located on Navy Hill, a

residential area, hill allow local

residents to receive a clearer

picture than they have in the past.The station was previously

located at sea level in the RoyalTaga Hotel. The new antenna will be800 feet above sea level and thenew transmitter will boost WSZE's

(story continued pg. 5)

VOICE OF NIUEEMPHASIZES LOCAL CONTENT

The following article is con-densed from a report by Hima

Douglas that appeared in an issueof the Asian Broadcasting Union

Newsletter. Douglas, now with theSouth Pacific Commission, was

formerly the Information Officer

of Niue:

For a number of years the

people of Niue had listened

enviously to the expanding radioservices of neighbouring island

groups. In 1958 there had beensome experiments, based on acommunications transmitter and

one tape recorder, but Niue couldnot then afford a broadcastingservice of its own.

In 1965, however, it was

decided to establish a CommunityDevelopment Office, including aradio station, and to ask the NewZealand Broadcasting Corporation(NZBC) for advice on setting upthis station.

Arrangements were made withthe NZBC for a regular supply of

programme material and an Assis-tant Community Development Officerwas given responsibility for

broadcasting.

At this stage, early in 1967,Radio Niue was almost ready to goon the air but there was one

essential ingredient missing--announcers. No one in the

Community Development Office had

any experience of announcing and

it was necessary to learn how to

operate the new equipment and how

to compile and present programmes.

Fortunately the then head of the

Community Development Office,

Harry Coleman, was a keen radio

operator: he was able to explainto enthusiastic announcer-trainees how to use the equipmentand to give hints on announcing

techniques.

On August 14, 1967, RadioNiue was officially opened. Atfirst the transmissions were for

only a few hours on some days ofthe week, but by the middle of1968 they had grown to about 26hours of news, information andentertainment each week. However,the broadcasting hours had to befitted in with the work for whichthe communications transmitter had

originally been provided, includinga service to shipping.

Often the lunch-hour broadcastshad to be interrupted and on such

occasions the announcer had to make

up his own excuse, which was

usually: "I regret to advise thatbecause of a technical difficulty,we are now closing transmission.We hope to be back on the air againin about 15 minutes.

At the end of 1968 it wasdecided to solve this problem by

asking the NZBC for advice on asuitable separate transmitter forRadio Niue. A 250-watt transmitterand a 250 foot mast were ordered

and came into service in 1972,

making the 'Voice of Niue' louderand clearer and not subject to

interruptions for other services.

Radio Niue's programmes arenow mainly general entertainmentbut include as much local informa-tion and news as can be put on the

air. Like other small broad-

casting organisations, the servicerelies to a large extent on

imported material, such as radiodramas, but these are carefullyselected.

ETHNIC ACCESS IN AUSTRALIA

Ethnic groups in the Melbournearea now have greater access to theair waves over the Australian

Broadcasting Commission's third AM

radio station in that city. The

new station, 3ZZ, began trans-

mitting in early May followingextensive discussions between theABC and community groups.

According to a report inCommonwealth Broadcasting (April-June, 1975), ABC ChairmanProfessor Richard Downing said thenew station will allow individualsand groups to air views not

normally broadcast on radio.Because Melbourne's ethnic

communities have taken a stronginterest in the station, Downingsaid, 'it is expected that a

significant proportion of the twohours a night open for access willbe devoted to programmes of inter-est to these communities."

broadcastMore and more of the people

have come to regard Radio Niue astheir station and to want morelocal content in the programmes.There is a constant demand formore Niuean songs, legends, 'on-air' panel discussions and locallyproduced programmes providing back-ground to current affairs and theworld news. To make it possibleto meet this demand, a building isbeing renovated to provide twostudios, one for announcing andthe other a production studio.

In the beginning Radio Niuewas simply a small station pro-viding middle-of-the-road pro-grammes. But since then the

changes that have taken place inthe island community have demandeda change in the station's work.The responsibility for this newtask now rests on the young andenthusiastic staff of the Informa-tion Office.

New Saipan Studio(continued from pg. 4)

power trom tOO to 500 watts. It hasthe capacity to produce 2000 watts.

Station manager Ollie Olson,the Variety reported, indicatedthat residents with color televisionsets may be able to receive anadequate signal under ideal condi-tions. In addition, WSZE willbroadcast FM radio programs duringafternoons and evenings on an ex-

perimental basis.

FIJI BROADCASTERAT EWCI AS INTERN

Lasarusa Vusoniwailala, abroadcaster from Suva, has joinedthe East-West Communication Insti-tute as a professional developmentintern. Vusoniwailala worked on a

morning show over the Fiji Broad-

casting Commission Service, and isalso a degree student at the

University of the South Pacific.

He is at the Institute toundertake a radio internship pro-gram and to participate in variousInstitute activities, includingPacific Islands programs, theJefferson Fellowships and otherinternational communication pro-jects. He will attend Universityof Hawaii communication coursesfor credit applicable to his workat USP. Such communication coursesare not offered at USP, and wererecommended by his adviser there,

R. 6. Croconibe.

Costs of the internship are

being shared by the South Pacific

-' Commission and the CommunicationInstitute.

Vusoniwailala is working withJim Richstad at the Institute. He

spent the latter part of Augustattending the Pacific Science Con-

gress in Canada. His radio intern-

ship, arranged by Lawrence S.Berger, part owner of the radiostation in American Samoa and ownerof KHVH in Honolulu, was with radiostations KGMB and KHVH in Honolulu.

(continued from pg. 3)

Evaluation and researchOver the years the peoples of

Papua New Guinea have been probedanc2 investigated by sociologistsand anthropologists, but until theadvent of the NBC there had notbeen any sustained studies on theimpact of broadcasting on theirlives. The NBC Research Unit isdoing something about it.

First an examination of theNBC structure. This study analysedthe programmes of the National andRegional services and the propor-tions of music to the spoken wordin the light of NBC's role as acommunicator and informationmedium.

The second assignment dealtwith language utilization by thefour stations in the Papua NewGuinea Highlands where the bulkof the population is located. NBCResearch noted that there are45,000 people in this area who cancommunicate only in vernacularlanguages and there are 59 ofthese languages ranging in sizefrom 149,000 Enga speakers to 120Binurnarien speakers.

The problem is, of course,that these vernaculars do not havea vocabulary or the expressionalscope to cope with concepts in themodern world. The NBC broadcastsin eight languages in the Highlandsbut translation from English toany one of these varies from

language to language according togrammatical and other differences.Earlier broadcasters would havebetter served the people if theyhad used their lingua franca

(Pidgin) from the beginning. The

problem now is that there will bea public outcry if NBC ceases tobroadcast in the vernaculars.

The Department of the Mediain Australia is also helping. Tworesearchers visited Papua NewGuinea and, in association with theNBC Research Unit, have participatedin a rural area project. The teamconducted a listener sampling onSouth-East Buka Island in theBougainville District. This rural

survey involved nine villages andwas not based on dwellings as ina Western society. Groups ofpeople from each village discussedtheir listening patterns. Theanswers were based on a consensusand provided some useful informationfor future programme planning inthe rural sector.

The NBC Research Unit willnot come up with all the answers

but as a result of their work theNBC will be better informed thanpreviously on what is required ofbroadcasting in a multilingualdeveloping country.

TOUA NAMED

Morea Ovia Toua, formerDirector of News and CurrentAffairs of the Papua New GuineaBroadcasting Commission, has beenappointed Deputy Chairman.Commonwealth Broadcasting (April-June, 1975) reported that Toua,35, has been involved in radiobroadcasting since 1964.

Chris Rangatan has beenappointed to succeed Toua as ActingDirector of News and CurrentAffairs.

TOM LLOYD NOTES ROLEOF PRESS ON NORFOLK

Tom and Tim Lloyd have beenrunning The Norfolk Islander for10 years. When he was a delegatelast year at the Pacific IslandsNews Association's formation inSuva, Torn shared some of histhoughts about Norfolk Island andhis professional responsibilities.Here, as reported by PacificIslands Monthly editor StuartInder, is part of what he said:

'In a changing world, andwith more and more of our peopletasting the so-called materialisticpleasures of the mainland, andwith an ever increasing flow ofnew settlers bringing their out-side influences to bear on our wayof life, the role of the Press asI see it, is not only to act as

the conscience of the community,not only to keep alive the tradi-tions and life-style of ourPitcairn forebears, but to alsoremind newcomers and the Governmentthat the people of Norfolk have,with great sacrifice to familyrelations and personal hardshipkept alive the spirit of Norfolk."

40 CENTS DAMAGESFOR JOURNALIST IN PNG

IPI Report, July 1975

It happened in New GuineaA Pulitzer Prize winning

foreign correspondent of theChicago Daily News, George Weller,went to New Guinea to gathermaterial on the Coastwatchers, theunsung war heroes of the SouthPacific.

While trying to interview theHakalis cult leader John Teosin atthe Tsunono Club on Buka island,

George Weller was assaulted byJoseph Hapisiria who ran the club.

He was badly beaten and hisnotebook containing records ofseveral weeks work was grabbed,torn and pockete by Hapisiria.

George Weller sued Hapisiriafor damages and the return of hisnotebook.

Presided by an Australianmagistrate, the hearing was impro-vised in an improvised courtroomat the club.

The verdict: Hapisiria to pay40 cents to George Weller, thevalue of a new notebook, and thereturn of his old one.

That was in January. GeorgeWeller was still waiting for the40 cents and his old notebook. Heis in Melbourne waiting for both--a wait that is costing him thou-sands of dollars.

'So the justice down-understill sleeps,' comments the Bulle-tin of the Overseas Club of America,from which this story was extracted.

POST-COURIER PUBLISHESINDEPENDENCE SOUVENIR

The Papua New Guinea Post-Courier is publishing a SouvenirIssue of 132 pages to celebrateIndependence in PNG.

This includes a four-page coverin full color, the front of whichwill bear the country's Coat ofArms.

Publication was to be onSeptember 16, 1975. Press run wasexpected to be 35,000 copies, tobe sold at 30 cents each. Theissue was to include messages fromthe leaders of many Pacificcountries, and trace the presentdevelopment and history of thecountry. The issue had to beprinted in two runs of 64 pages orthe Post-Courier's Goss rotaryletterpress machine. These hadthen to be hand-inserted and the128 pages inserted into the four-page cover.

NAYLOR STEPS DOWN

From Radio Active July, 1975Malcolm Naylor, former manager

of the Australian BroadcastingCommission's Papua New Guineaoffice, recently stepped down fromhis post. Naylor assisted in theformation of the National Broad-casting Commission of PNG and wasone of its foundation members.

Ieffort in training. Details arestill being worked out but thetentative starting time will be

January 1976. Results of the

pilot training project will bestudied for application to otherareas of the Pacific, Usher said

News published next Monday, June16th. The editor and his wife willbe in Sydney for the wedding oftheir youngest son, Daniel. Thenext issue of the News will beavailable Monday, June 23rd.

PINA POSTPONES OCTOBERMEETING ON CONSTITUTION

The proposed mid-October meet-

ing of the Pacific Islands News

Association (PINA) has been post-

poned, according to L. G. Usher,

organizing director, in a telephoneinterview September 10. Usher said

shortness of time and difficultiesin financing were the main reasons

for the postponement.Usher noted that the draft con-

stitution for PINA was "well ahead"and that he will circulate thedraft to all members, and perhapsset up meetings over the PEACESATsatellite system for discussion ofvarious parts. The main purposeof the October meeting was to

adopt a constitution.To help in the organizational

stages, Usher was exploring the

idea of regular monthly meetingsof the PINA organizing committee

(and others interested) over the

PEACESAT system.

N.Z. INTERNSHIP

An internship for a Pacific

Island journalist on a New Zealand

newspaper has been established

through the Pacific Islands News

Association, with Gollin Graphicsas the sponsor. L. 6. Usher,

organizing director of PINA, saidthe award provided a stipend of

$1,000 N.Z. A circular on the

internship will be sent to memberssoon, Usher said.

PINA PLANS TRAINING SCHEME

WITH USP, FIJI COUNCIL

Plans are now being made for a

pilot training project sponsored

by PINA in cooperation with the

University of the South Pacific

and the Fiji Training Council.

L. 6. Usher, organizingdirector, said the training scheme

will be based on the use of kit-

sets, and will be the first PINA

NEW PINA OFFICE

The office of the PINA Secre-tariat has been moved from the

temporary quarters at the Univer-

sity of the South Pacific to the5th floor of the Honson Building,Thomson Street, Suva, Fiji. ThePost Office address remains thesame, Private Bag, Raiwaqa, Suva,

Fiji

Norfolk Island News

Makes Debut(continued from pg. 1)

in the slower pace of the Pacific,said that time will be the final

judge of the News.But it seems that Howard is

quickly becoming used to the Paci-fic way of doing things. While

many newspapers pride themselves onnot missing an edition, it isdifficult to maintain that kind ofrecord in some parts of the region.

In the June 10, 1975, issue,a small item with the headline,"No 'News': Good News," said,"There will be no Norfolk Island

SPEECH THERAPISTJOINS RADIO FIJI

An English speech therapistis a new Fiji Broadcasting Commis-sion radio personality. MaryPernetta, the Fiji Times reported,is prepared for her new positionby taking lessons in Fijian andHindi to correctly pronounce localnames in the news.

The wife of a lecturer at theUniversity of the South Pacific,Pernetta, 22, is doing what fewexpatriate wives do, the Timessaid. By working in the community,women with training can providevaluable services as well asbroaden "their experience of the

people, their customs and the

country in which they live," theTimes said.

PNG INFORMATION

Brian Amini, a Papua NewGuinean, has been named Directorof the government's InformationOffice. Our News published by thePNG Department of Information andExtension Services, said thatAmini's duties will include advisingChief Minister Michael Somare onInformation Office matters.

SIBS Tranng Program SuocesThe Solomon Islands Broad-

casting Service, with the assis-

tance of Unesco's Norman McBain,

recently completed a four week

training program for SIBS radiobroadcasters. McBain, in an Asian

Broadcasting Union Newsletter,shared a few of his thoughts on thesuccess of the program:

"The first week of the 4-weekcourse was given to basic training:

microphones, interview techniques,

panel discussions, editing andacoustics. Documentaries, script-writing and special audience

programmes took up the second weekand in the third most of the timewas given to practical exercisesand drama. Finally, groups ofcourse members produced various

types of programmes and thenevaluated them in discussion.

"One lesson to be learnedfrom these courses is that they arenot long enough nor is follow-upaction available to help thetrainees apply their new knowledgeand continue to improve.

"This naturally appliesparticularly to small organizationslike SIBS where no one officer candevote all his time to training.It seems to point to a need for afull-time training officer to beshared among a few small organi-zations: he would be able to spendseveral months wth a group oftrainees every year, not only con-

ducting formal training but givingalso on-the-job supervision.

rift

b

NEWS OR NEWS RLLEASL?

The recent handling of an East-West Center press release by twoPacific newspapers brings out acontinuing journalistic questionof how small press operations shoulddeal with "news items prepared bye parties involved in the news

release.

The Centers release, detail-ing an agreement by the Australian

government to sponsor Pacificstudents at the East-West Center,was carried by at least two PacificIsland newspapers in June and July.One paper printed the press releasewithout attribution while the other

clearly identified the East-WestCenter as the source of the release

Robert Wernet, of the CentersPublications and Public AffairsOffice, said that while no stipula-tion is made on how the Centersreleases are to be used, he feltthat it was standard journalisticpractice to identify the sourceof a news release.

But what is standard journal-istic practice in the Pacific?Newspapers and broadcasting ser-vices face this issue everyday.

Any comments on how to handlesuch matters by editors and newsdirectors are welcome for the nextnewsletter. Please write to JimRichstad, Communication Institute,1777 East-West Road, Honolulu,Hawaii 96822, U.S.A.

LITTLE PAPERS IN PNG PROSPER

A report on two little news-

papers in Papua New Guinea appearedin the September 1975 issue of PIM.Wantok and Lae Nius have no inten-tion of becoming national papers;they see as their first responsibil-ity to be parochial in their cover-

age. Wantok (Pidgin for friend)is published in pidgin and marked

its fifth anniversary in July.Owned by the Roman Catholic bishopsof PNG, Wantok is the longest sur-viving little newspaper in PapuaNew Guinea.

Lae Nius which began publish-ing last September, maintains acirculation of 5,000 which isreportedly growing. The largestproblem facing the paper isbuilding up advertising from nation-al companies. Local advertisers,however, are voting with their

cheque books.

kCOOK ISLANDS WEEKLY(2

BITES9

BACK-I

The Weekender the Cook Islands'opposition" newspaper, is return-ing the barbs sent by one of thegovernments local press voices."Poly-tic," the Cook Islands PhotoNews political columnist, recentlyreceived a double barrelled replyfrom the weekly Weekender.

The meanderings of 'Poly-tic,'"the paper said, "is sounding morelike a 'wandering Minstral with abroken ukulele.'' Responding toone of his recent columns, the

Weekender took on Poly-tic point bypoint covering everything from Cookrugby players to the alleged 'un-usual' qualities of Cook residents.

In another vein, the Weekenderhas started its own column writtenby "Poly-Ti ka." "Many people ad-mire our Premier when speaking onany subject at any place," he wroterecently, "invariably he can talkat length on any matter, tellingstories or fairy tales of historicorigin and quite amusing sometimes."

AMERICAN SAMOA

NEWSPAPERS &TELEVISIONSAMOAN SUN 'MOVING IN

RIGHT DIRECTION': GALLIENSAMOAN TV

The Samoan Sun one of the twoweekly newspapers in American Samoa,has apparently gone through itsorganizational period and is nowpublishing on a regular basis."Things are progressing more slowlythan we had hoped, but they aremoving along in the right direc-tion,' said John F. Gallien, theSun's managing editor.

Advertising increased consider-ably, Gallien reported, after thenewspaper hired a full-time stafferfor that position. The Samoan Sunis also reportedly preparing thefirst edition of Holiday, the

paper's travel quarterly. It willbe issued sometime in September.Gallien said Holiday will contain"information of general interest topeople visiting both Samoas."

Following is the PacificIslands Press Directory listing:

The proposed 1976 budget forAmerican Samoa holds some signif-icant changes for television thereif the Fono approves it. TheAugust Pacific Islands Monthly re-ported that station KVZK-TV is tobe separated from the EducationDepartment and it will be run by anew Office of Television Operations.The station's staff, however, saidthat Governor Earl Ruth did not con-sult them about the move.

KVZK, which broadcasts AmericanSamoa's educational television pro-grams, will continue to do so but ata greatly reduced rate. PIM saidthat the territory's educationalsystem is beginning to place moreemphasis on teachers rather thantelevision programs. This has beendue to local pressure as well as alack of funds to operate the expen-sive system.

THE SAMOAN SUN

Transpac Corp.P.O. Box 1477, Pago Pago, American Samoa96799October 25, 1974

Weekly on Friday morningsCirculation 2,000English 70 per cent, Samoan 30 per centPrice lO per copy or $18 air mailed to U.S.

Format: 81/2 inches by 11 inches; 20 ppgOffset in Transpac Print Shop

$2.50 per column inch, discounted for larger space orders

Managing Editor: John F. GallienAssociate Editor: Felise Vaa

UPI