NANU3owmun1eat1on ,sJowMter

Hawaii

May 1974 Vol. 4 No. 3

Pacific Press Association Aid Sought

A meeting to help support thenew Pacific Islands Press Associ-ation is being planned for lateJune in Suva, Fiji.

An organizing committee, whichwas formed at the first generalmeeting of Pacific Islands editorsin July 1972, is sounding outrepresentatives of press associ-ations in Asia, Australia, NewZealand, the United States andCanada and other internationalagencies on their interest inmeeting to help activate theorganization.

The meeting, which is beingco-sponsored by the organizingcommittee and the East-West Com-munication Institute, is plannedfor about June 23 to 28. Duringthe first few days the organizingcommittee and other editors whowould wish to participate wouldmeet to review progress and develop

a proposal to present to the invitedorganizations on the last threedays.

The organizing committee in-cludes L. G. Usher, consultant tothe Fiji Times; Leota Pita Alailima,editor and managing director of theSouth Sea Star, Apia, Western Samoa;John Fitzgerald, publisher andmanaging editor of the Papua NewGuinea Post-Courier in Port Moresby;Henry Raraka, editor-publisher ofthe Kakamora Reporter, Honiara,British Solomon Islands; JamesBoyack, editor, Tahiti Bulletin,Papeete. Jim Richstad, of the EastWest Communication Institute hasbeen carrying out secretariatfunctions for the committee.

According to Richstad, journalismtraining was the priority neededidentified by editors at the 1972meeting. Since that time severalsteps have been taken, he noted,

In This Issue

*The Press and the Courts, p. 2

*Press Conference Open toAll?, p. 3

Bill Fails, p. 3

*Papua Controls Broadcasting, p. 4

*Samoan Sun Sets Pub., p. 7

*Solomons Printers Shortof Paper, p. 8

*Two Pubs. Launched, p. 9

*Majuro Changes, p. 10

*NHK Aid for Tonga, p. 11

*Grass Roots Communication tobe Published, p. 12

including the beginning of a publi-cations training manual by RobertMcClelland, an Auckland journalistduring an East-West Center Fellow-ship, and individual training plansby several newspapers.

However, editors still feel astrong need for some formal organ-ization devoted primarily at firstto basic journalism training,Richstad said. One of the likelymodels for such an organization isthe Press Foundation of Asia, oneof the organizations planning to berepresented at the June meeting.

The invited organizations arebeing asked to discuss possiblesources of funding and organizationalsupport. "What needs to be done isknown, at least in a broad sense,"Richstad said, "but how to do itis the real difficulty."

Richstad noted that althoughthe main impetus for professionaltraining has come from editors ofpublications, broadcasting andgovernment information officersare welcome in the association.

Among the organizations in-vited to the meeting are: theInternational Press Institute,the South Pacific Commission,the Pacific Regional Representativeof the United Nations DevelopmentProgramme, the Australian NewspapersCouncil; the New Zealand PressAssociation; the Asian BroadcastingUnion, the Asian Mass CommunicationResearch and Information Centre;the United States National Associ-ation of Broadcasters; the AmericanNewspaper Publishers Association,The Canadian Association of Broad-casters, the Canadian Daily News-paper Publishers Association, andthe Inter-American Press Association.

6

The Press and the Courts...

The Tonga Chronicle was recent-ly found to have printed a letterto the editor libeling a iliember ofthe Tongan Legislative Assembly.

The Chief Justice of Tongaawarded plaintiff Tu'ilataiMataele T$500 in his case againstthe government of Tonga, whichpublishes the paper, arid EditorSiosiua Fonua. Mataele had claimeddamages of T$20,000.

According to a March 21 reportof the judgment in the Chronicle,Mataele was criticized in theletter for his statements in theRouse on two occasions. The judg-ment held that the criticism ofonly one of the two statements was'false and malicious.'

The Chronicle reported thatthe letter written by Viliarni Liloaccused Mataele of 'using hisplace in the House to obtain em-ployment' as manager of Tonga'sDateline Hotel, during a speech inwhich he criticized the managementof the government-run hotel. TheChronicle said the deciding factorin the suit was whether Mataele'actually applied in the House forthe post of Hotel Manager.'

The court records which werereported in the newspaper quotedMataele as saying "I am figuringon suggesting myself..."

In his judgment, Chief JusticeMr. Roberts wrote, 'The suggestionmade by the plaintiff cannot reason-ably be interpreted as a seriousapplication for the post of manager.He went no further than to emphasizethat the Hotel was managed inef-ficiently and... that if given theopportunity he could himself dobetter.'

The justice ruled that thecriticism in the letter was "notbased on facts but a distortion ofthe facts." He added, 'Furthermorethere is the harmful innuendo thatthe plaintiff obtained votes bycorrupt methods."

According to the Chroniclereport, the prosecution of the paperdeveloped out of the controversysurrounding the newspaper's publi-cation of a speech by a Tonganschoolgirl entitled, "Tonga ShouldBe More Democratic" (See PICN,December 1973).

In an earlier statement inParliament, Mataele had apologizedto the Tongan noble's representativein the Legislative Assemby for thisspeech and for its publication inthe Chronicle.

The Lilo letter, as quoted inthe justice's judgment, also criti-cized this speech by Mataele as"being hypocritical... he was onlytrying to gain favor in the House."

The justice ruled that publi-cation of this criticism was "anhonest expression of opinion with-out malice; the opinion is basedon the words actually used by theplaintiff in the House without anydistortion." He continued, "It isa fair and bonafide comment upona matter of public interest namelyupon the conduct of the plaintiffin his public capacity."

However, the justice didcomment on the publication of theschool girl's speech:

"It is surely a saddeningreflection on our political con-ceptions and the level of ourintelligence when we are invitedto refer to the speech of a youngstudent, still a schoolgirl, forguidance in our political thinking..the plaintiff and many others mayconsider that the bright and clever,nevertheless superficial speech of

SIOSIUA FONUAAPPOINTED EDITOR

Siosiua Fonua, former audiovisual aid officer, has been ap-pointed as Editor of the TongaChronicle.

Fonua is the first Tongan tobecome the editor of the Chronicle.He served a year and two months asacting editor when Robert McClelland,a New Zealand journalist who spenttwo years as volunteer editor ofthe Tonga government newspapers,left the Kingdom in November 1972.

With his appointment as editor,the staff involved in the productionof the paper is all Tongan for thefirst time since the first issue offour-page paper began publicationon June 19, 1964.

this schoolgirl should have beenconfined to the pages of a schoolmagazine where it properly belongs."

In granting Mataele the smalleraward, the justice called theLegislator's request for T$20,000damages "grossly exaggerated." Hesaid Mataele had "not given anyproof of any precise pecuniary losssuffered."

The government solicitor hassaid the judgment will be appealed.

FONUA REVIEWSPAPERS PROGRESS

Siosiua Fonua, editor of theTonga Chronicle and Ko e KalonikaliTonga, said in a recent interviewin his office that the people ofTonga are increasingly willing toexpress themselves, through suchmeans as letters to the editor.

He noted that letters to theeditor are increasing, and thepaper has "more than we can copewith." He said they create interest.

Another change on the Chroniclehas been an increasing number ofeditorials, an innovation he startedwhen he took over as acting editormore than a year ago. He said thereaction on both Tonga and overseashas been encouraging.

Fonua, commenting on therecent libel case against the papers,noted the matter was being appealedto the Privy Council. He said thatif there is any doubt about materialthat is to be used in the newspapers,it is sent to the Crown Solicitorfor review.

He also said he has applied fortwo new staff members for next year,and has been developing featurearticles for the newspapers. Hesaid he has more news than he canprint.

Circulation is now at 4,200in the Tongan edition, and hehopesto reach 5,000 by June. Some of theadded circulation is due to an effortto "reach more islands than before,"he said, and also by increasingdistribution throughout the mainisland. He has applied for a specialpostal rate, and this would alsohelp.

KO eAakhikWi Toga

2

Kamata'anga 'o Tainu

t 4 " 'I

Should Press Conference be Open to All?

The question of whether the

Mayor of Honolulu can for his ownreasons exclude a newspaper reporterfrom his press or new conferencesis the issue at question in a suit

by the Honolulu Advertiser againstMayor Frank F. Fasi (See PICN,

December 1973).The original action had been

by the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, but

that was dropped when the Mayoradmitted representatives from that

paper to his conferences, in an

agreement with the paper. But theAdvertiser did not drop its parallelsuit, now before the Federal

District Court in Honolulu.

In an earlier decision, JudgeSamuel King granted a preliminaryinjunction against Fasi for barringa reporter from his conferences.The Advertiser case seeks a perma-nent injunction.

Judge King, in a 'findings offact and conclusions of law on pre-liminary injunction,' dated

January 21, 1974, said that the

"Mayor's objectives to Borreca (theStar-Bulletin reporter in the case)are based solely on what appearedin the Honolulu Star-Bulletin asBorreca's city hall news stories,"and that "one would have to be naiveto believe that an individual re-

porter is solely responsible forthe manner in which that reporter'snews stories appear in print." Hesaid that, "Requiring a newspaper'sreporter to pass a subjective com-

patibility-accuracy test as a con-dition precedent to the right ofthat reporter to gather news is nodifference in kind from reciuirinq

a newspaper to submit its proposeanews stories for editing as a con-dition precedent to the right ofthat newspaper to have a reportercover the news. Each is a form ofcensorship."

Judge King noted the purposeof a news conference is not solelyfor the benefit of the media.

"A free press is not necessarilyan angelic press," Judge King said.

"Newspapers take sides, especiallyin political contest. Newspaperreporters are not always accurate

and objective. They are subject to

criticism, and the right of a govern-mental official to criticize iswithin First Amendment guarantees.

"But when criticism transforms

into an attempt to use the powersof governmental office to intimidateor to discipline the press or oneof its members because of what

appears in print, a compellinggovernmental interest that cannotbe served by less restrictive means

must be shown for such use to meetConstitutional standards. No com-

pelling governmental interest hasbeen shown or even claimed here."

Judge King concluded by grantingthe preliminary injunction, pre-

venting interference with the rightof Borreca to attend "any pressconference on the same basis andto the same extent that other news

reporters attend press conferences."

The Honolulu Community-MediaCouncil has voted to prepare a"friend of the court" statement inthe matter. No trial date has beerset as early April.

Mayor Fasi contended the re-

porter was unfair in his coverage.

In the development concerningthe Honolulu Community-Media Councilthe council petitioned Federal CourtJudge Martin Pence in early May toenter the case as a 'friend of thecourt."

No hearing date was set on thecouncil's motion. Dennis A.

Daugherty, representing the councilfiled a motion which said:

"It is only too obvious that

any altercation between a govern-ment agency and the news media, and

especially the present continuingdispute between the mayor and the

print media, is not only within the

scope of the council's businessbut pertains to the very essence

of the council's function...

"The central purpose of the

council is to provide a forum forconciliation and airing of therelations between press, radio and

television, on the one hand, andthe rest of organized society onthe other."

'SUNSHINE' BILL FAILS

IN STATE LEGISLATURE

Despite a wide range of com-

munity support, the "sunshine" billin the Hawaii Legislature failed to

be voted out of the House JudiciaryCommittee in the just-concluded 1974session. The bill, developed by the

Honolulu Community-Media Council and

introduced by Rep. Jean King, wouldhave required open meetings of all

government bodies, with only a few

exceptions.The purpose of the bill,

similar to those in several of U.S.

states, is to open up the processesof government for public observationand participation, hence to let the

"sunshine" in.Dr. Stuart Gerry Brown, chair-

man of the Media Council, testifiedat the hearing, saying that "to be

meaningful, the public's right toattend meetings involves more thanits mere observance of a governingbody that is following a pre-arranged

(continued on p. 5)

\

3

y. "

Papua New Guinea Takes Control of BroadcastingFrom Radio Active

(Dec. '73/Jan. '74 Issue)

On 30 November the ABC ceasedto control a broadcasting servicein Papua New Guinea after 27 years'operation there.

Responsibility for broadcastingpassed at that point to the NationalBroadcasting Commission of PapuaNew Guinea.

There were previously twobroadcasting services in Papua NewGuinea--the National Service oper-ated by the ABC, and the Adminis-tration Service under the directionof the Papua New Guinea Adminis-tration's Department of Informationand Extension Services.

Mr. Sam Piniau is Chairman andChief Executive Officer of the NBC,and the ABC's Manager for PapuaNew Guinea, Mr. Malcolm Naylor,has been appointed a member of theCommission. He will remain inPapua New Guinea as manager of theABC's office.

The other Commission membersare the Reverend Kingsley Gegeyo,an Anglican priest from Popondetta;Gabriel Muskat langalia, an econo-mist employed by the Papua NewGuinea Development Bank; KubulanLos of Madang, a lawyer with theDepartment of Law.

Max Foster, Assistant Managerfor Queensland, has finished histerm of secondment as Liaison OfficerPapua New Guinea.

Ovia Toua, who was previouslyNews Editor of the Papua New GuineaService of the ABC has becomeDirector of News and Current Affairsin the NBC.

Toua, 34, of Hanuabada Village,joined the ABC in 1964 as a cadetjournalist, and was appointed NewsEditor last May.

A. E. Rutland, who was theABC's Accountant Staff Supervisorin PNG, has become Director Manage-ment Services in the new Commission.

Rutland joined the ABC in 1949in Perth, and has spent about 14years with the ABC in PNG.

More than 20 members of theABC's permanent staff have beengranted leave without pay to acceptsecondment to the National Broad-casting Commission for periodsvarying from two years to a fewmonths.

Thirteen members of the ex-patriate temporary staff were re-employed by the NBC from 1 December.

With one exception, all PapuaNew Guinean staff members (official-ly temporary staff), totallingabout 150 members, were automati-cally employed by the NBC as from1 December. The exception wasMaria Sioni who is now working forRadio Australia in Melbourne.

Some local staff (referred tonow by the Papua New Guinea publicservice as National Officers) havebeen granted leave without pay bythe NBC to accept secondment backto the ABC.

Two are with the new ABC PapuaNew Guinea office in Port Moresby.They are Stephen Igo, Journalist,and Kwari Kila, Driver/ClericalAssistant. Kwari has worked forthe ABC for 15 years and wished tocontinue.

Two are with Radio Australia---Otto Malatana, Broadcast Officer,and Carolus Ketsimur, Journalist.

Radio Australia, the overseasservice of the ABC, opened a PapuaNew Guinea service on 2 December.

Initially Radio Australia'sservice to Papua New Guinea is beinglimited to 3-1/2 hours from 4.30 p.m.to 8 p.m. each evening in SimpleEnglish.

In addition to the three PNGbroadcasters already mentioned,two Program Officers from theAdministration Broadcasting Servicewere selected by the NBC for RadioAustralia. They are Jennifer Pahun,of Mount Hagen, and Sam Bena, ofBougainville. The Supervisor ofthe service is an Australian, BrianMerrett, former Station Managerfor the Papua New Guinea Adminis-tration radio station at Mount Hagen.

Broadcasting in Papua NowGuinea has developed to the pointwhere it is now able to assist inthe production of modern televisionprograms such as this one. Picturedhere during an Australian Broad-casting Commission program "MondayConference" which was produced inPort Moresby in early 1973 are

Michael Somare, Chief Minister,Anchorman Robert Moore, and thelots Motthics Toliman, leader ofthe opposition. The NationalBroadcasting Commission for PapuaNew Guinea is described in thearticle above, and a history ofbroadcasting in the newly inde-pendent nation is described on thenext page.

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44

All

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41

Papua New Guinea Broadcasting

From Hut Studio to Space-age Equipment

From Radio Active

(Dec. 73/Jan. '74 Issue)

From the primitive studio setup under wartime conditions in 1944,operations in Papua New Guinea hadprogressed so far by February 1973that the branch was able to help inthe making of a sophisticated modernTV program.

The program was one of the'Monday Conference" series. Al-though Papua New Guinea does nothave television, it was able toprovide microphones and the helpof indigenous Sound Recordists.

There were formerly two broad-casting services in Papua NewGuinea--the National Service oper-ated by the ABC, and the Adminis-tration Service under the directionof the Papua New Guinea Adminis-trations Department of Informationand Extension Services.

The transmitters for the ABC'sNational Service were operated bythe Australian Postmaster-General'sDepartment.

Broadcasting in Papua NewGuinea began on 25 October, 1935,with the opening of commercialstation 4 p.m., operated by AWA inPort Moresby. This operation closedon 16 December, 1941, following thedeclaration of war with Japan.

The U.S. Army, the AustralianArmy, the Postmaster GeneralsDepartment, and the ABC all playeda part in putting the next station,9PA (later renamed 9AA) on to theair on 26 February, 1944.

The understanding was that thestation would revert to the PMGand ABC after the war, and inJanuary, 1946, the Commissionformally resolved that the ABCshould take responsibility for theprovision of programs for stationsin PNG and to take control of 9AA.

The Commission believed thisincluded providing a non-Englishservice to the indigenous people.The then Controller of Programs,Dr. Keith Barry, wrote in April1946 that the potential audiencewas about 2,000 Europeans and amillion indigenous people, andsaid, 'In my opinion, the onlyreason for setting up any sizedoffice in Moresby would be to servethe million rather than the twothousand."

On July 1, 1946, the AustralianArmy handed over control of its low-powered transmitter 9AA at PortMoresby to the ABC. The coveragearea of this transmitter was re-stricted to the township of PortMoresby and the surrounding villages.

In the 27 years which followed,the ABC network increased to sixmedium-wave and two short-wavestations.

The ABC continued to directprograms to all sections of themulti-racial community. In recentyears it attempted to increasefurther the proportion of programsof interest to the indigenous audi-ence, and to train local staff inthe skills of program production.

The Commission provided acomprehensive training program forlocal broadcasters, both in theirown country and on special trainingcourses at the ABC Training Centerand elsewhere in Australia.

Of the 200 people employed bythe ABC just before the coming ofself-government, more than 150 inPort Moresby, Lae and Rabaul werePapua New Guineans. The ABC alsogave active encouragement to PapuaNew Guineans to enter every fieldof broadcasting.

iTt supplemented local broad-casting with good quality programsfrom Australia and the rest of theworld, and although now havingrelinquished responsibility forbroadcasting in PNG will continue

to give full cooperation and helpto the National Broadcasting Com-mission.

The ABC will supply allprograms requested during 1974 freeof charge, as well as making allnews material from our sourcesavailable to the new authority andproviding training assistance where-ever possible.

The ABC wtll maintain a PNGoffice which will provide radio andtelevision coverage of events inPNG for the ABC networks inAustralia.

Sunshine Bill(continued from p. 3)

decision-making plan unaffected bypublic participation or scrutiny."

Nineteen persons, representingvarious community groups, testifiedat the hearing.

Rep. James Wakatsuki, chairmanof the Judiciary Committee, latersaid the bill was flawed because itrequired, among other things,advance notice of meetings andminutes of all meetings, accordingto the Honolulu Star-Bulletin.

Several other bills relatingto journalism were introduced inthe Legislature. They included one

to put the Honolulu daily newspapersunder the Public Utilities Com-mission, for non-editorial matters(this failed when the State AttorneyGeneral gave an opinion that saidsuch a law would be unconstitutional);two bills to require public of-ficials to give new conferences; abill to require reporters coveringthe Legislature to disclose theirfinancial interests; and a "rightof reply" bill which would forcenewspapers to print rebuttals frompolitical candidates who were thesubjects of attacks. This is beingwritten when the fate of the abovebills is not clear.

PNG CRITICIZESAUSTRALIAN PRESS

From the Post Courier

The Constitutional PlanningCommittee has attacked an Australiannewspaper for publishing its secretproposals on citizenship.

The Deputy Chairman of the CPC,Fr John Momis, said he deplored'this attempt to interfere in ouraffairs."

The report, in the FebruarySydney Morning Herald, said citizen-ship in Papua New Guinea would berestricted to indigenous peopleunder the CPC's recommendations.

Fr Momis said the report con-tained "gross distortions of factand interpretation."

He said that there was nothingin the committee's proposals thatwould prevent any person of what-ever race or nationality from ob-taining citizenship 'if he isprepared to meet the criteria fornaturalization."

Fr Momis said the committeehad gone to a great deal of troubleto consult the people of Papua NewGuinea on the kind of constitutionthey wanted.

'We are now, in the closingstages of our discussions, facedwith the deliberate disseminationor misrepresentations of the con-tents of the decisions we aremaking," he said.

'We explore this attempt tointerfere in our affairs.

"The main interest that theAustralian press has in Papua NewGuinea is to preserve its own self-interest.

'This seemingly involves thesabotage of the committees workover the last 15 months.'

5

-v

Early Pacific Press

,,"Yellow Journalism Era in Cooks Short-LivedBy Sandra Carney-Rowan

Bombastic style and partisanreporting of its first twonewspapers amplified socio-politicalinfighting in the Cook Islands atthe turn of the century.

Untangling this complex andheated press saga is Dr. W. G.Coppell, former Deputy Directorof Education in the Cooks, andauthor of an extensive article 'FFin the Pacific Islands Monthlyabout the first newspapers--andresulting newspaper war--in theCook Islands.

Looking at the problems ofisland life while involved in themis like glimpsing an ant under amagnifying lens: the creatureassumes terrifying dimensions.Flowering at the peak of extremelysubjective yellow journalismfervor, the Cooks TE TOREA (motto:"Do unto others as you would thatthey should do unto you) and 10.1KARANGA (motto: "We repeat whatwe hear) were active participantsin skullduggery, behind-the-scenespolitical maneuvering, and polar-ization of public opinion--whichCoppell suggests helped topple thecontemporary Resident Commissioner,Mr. F. J. Moss.

TE TOREA and 101 KARANGA mayhave lacked the complex printingmachinery of the contemporary U.S.Hearst and Pulitzer press battles--but lacked not a drop of the vi-tuperous penmanship. Epithets suchas "Saturday rag" or "scurrilousand ownerless rag" peppered de-scriptions of the opposition press.

The entire tableau of theCook Island press war was compli-cated by assorted ariki, a contro-versial British resident commission-er and his successor, legal battles,traders and printers turned publish-ers, the LMS mission, and even aschool mistress (whom TE TOREAcharged with leading her studentsin "three cheers to mark the dis-missal of (Resident Commissioner)Frederick Moss on the arrival ofa party of tourists from NewZeland..")

The bi-lingual TE TOREA beganas the Cooks first newspaper,published weekly beginning 1895.Technically, the paper was firsthandwritten, and cyclostyled onpoor-quality paper; after six months,a press and pressman was importedfrom New Zealand aligned itselfwith the Resident Commissioner inthe islands' ever-bubbling politi-cal controversies...liquor control,schools administration, etc.

Opposition solidified in the101 KARANGA which began publishingin January 1898. Tension acceler-ated as each paper polarized onthe various sensitive issues.

Even the printing press itselfbecame a strategic focus of thenewspaper war. The New Zealandprinter deserted the TE TOREA topublish the 101 KARANGA and was

assisted by several Maoris inphysically seizing the press itselfat the height of a controversy overthe role of the Resident Commission-er in newspaper affairs.

In September 1898, Moss wasreplaced as Resident Commissioner,

South Pacific Commission

SPC AND USP TO SHAREBASE COMMUNICATIONS WORK

The South Pacific Commission'sMedia Projects (Audio-Visual work,ESL materials, and EducationalBroadcasts) are to shift their basefrom the Commission's SamabulaTraining Center to the Middle Campusof the University of the South Pa-cific, Suva, Fiji.

At the campus, they will sharefacilities with the ExtensionServices of the University of theSouth Pacific in a building complexwhich should become a "RegionalMedia Center" for the South Pacific.Building alterations are alreadyunder way at the new base.

When completed (by April it ishoped) the complex will provideoffices for USP and SPC media offi-cers, together with improved fa-cilities for audio-visual designand production, tape recording,curriculum material production, andthe operations of the USPs experi-mental satellite program and PEACESAT.

Although they will share thenew facilities, the SPC and USPprograms will all retain their indi-vidual identities, pooling skillsand equipment as necessary to developprograms requested from the region.

The cooperation has been madepossible by the expansion of theUniversity's Extension Section, andthe implementation of two SPC longterm projects on media facilitiesand language materials.

Once the Center is fully oper-ational, the two regional organi-zations should be able to offer awide range of media design, trainingand production services to the SouthPacific.

but the newspaper war continuedwith lawsuits by the publishersagainst each other, and contemptof court citations against bothpapers: for certain articles aboutthe court (101 KARANGA and forfalsifying letterhead dates(TE TOREA)

Both papers burned out theirbrief but lively careers in 1899-1900, much to the relief of thecontemporary Resident, Commissioner.

Official notes were thereafterpublished in the, Cooks. IslandsGazette, and there was to be nofurther serial publication in the,Cook Islands until the Akátuira(The Morning Star) in 1936.

S.P.C. NAMESA-V OFFICER

John E. Sharp, an Englishman,joined the South Pacific Commissionin January. Like the EducationalBroadcasting Officer, Ian Johnstone,he will be stationed in Suva, Fiji.

Sharp, who has a Diploma inCommunity Development from theInstitute of Education, Universityof London, was formerly a member ofthe British Overseas Civil Service,and spent.10 years working inNorthern Rhodesia. His most recentpost has been as Assistant Directorof the Audio-Visual Division of theCentre for Educational DevelopmentOverseas, London.

Sharp has been responsible' fortraining overseas personnel inaudio-visual techniques, and hasbeen consultant to a number ofcountries including Tonga, Fijiand the British Solomon IslandsProtectorate. His work at theCentre included the programmingof audio-visual methods, and hewas called upon to advise the Over-seas Development Administration ongraphic and reprographic training,materials and equipment.

Sharp was scheduled to visitTonga in April to arrange for anaudio-visual training course, totake place later in 1974.

JOHNSTONE ATTENDS

Ian Johnstone, educationalbroadcasts officer with the SouthPacific Commission, was scheduledto attend the SPC's Regional Edu-cation Seminar in Honiara in earlyMarch, and discuss a BroadcastingCourse to be held in Honiara withthe Director of Information andBroadcasting.

i

American Scunoa

American Samoa was to ttave anew newspaper, The Samoan Sun thisspring. Its first issue wasscheduled to come off the press onFlag Day, 17 April, the territory'smajor annual celebration, but wasdelayed for a time.

Owners of the weekly Sun areJohn Frederick Gallien, John A.Newton and Thomas A. Drabble. Theformer, who is managing editor, isfrom West Lafayette, Indiana, U.S.A.The latter have been partners forthe past eight years in Pago PagosTranspac Corporation. Newton isfrom the U.S.A. and Drabble fromNew Zealand.

Number 2 man on the paper isPenani Mulu, originally fromLalomalava, Western Samoa. Afterseveral years as a public schoolart teacher and illustrator for theeducation department there, he be-came manager of Transpacs printeryHe will continue in that capacityanddesign the ads and layout of the Sun.

Gallien, graduate of PurdueUniversity, worked as reporter-photographer for seven years onvarious Indiana weeklies and dailies.

Transpac's printing divisionproduced the Samoa News until the

first of this year when it obtainedits own press. Newton was one ofthe founding stockholders of theNews. He once managed the SamoaTimes.

The Samoan Sun is printed andproduced under the company name ofPacific Publications in Transpac'sshop. For about six months it willpublish on Friday morning. There-after, says Gailien, it will bestepped up to tn-weekly with eventu-al goal of going daily.

Its format is four columns onan 8 1/2 x 11 inch page photo-composed,and offset printed. Gold color isused on the name-plate and color isavailable for ads.

"We think the papers strongestpoints are its bright, modern lay-out, with magazine flavor in adarrangements and strong local newscoverage,' says Gallien.

Bulk of circulation is beingsought by means of newsboys andnews stand sales in both Americanand Western Samoa. Price is 15cents per copy.

The new venture is pittingitself against two papers in eachof the Samoas, all fairly well

entrenched. One, the free-distribution Daily Bulletin in PagoPago, is owned by the U.S. govern-ment.

For several years now the Officeof Samoan Information has been offer-ing to cease publication of theBulletin when it is assured thatthe island will be served by a"competently and responsibly operated,financially stable newspaper."

Two different weeklies havefailed to measure up in the govern-ments eyes to this standard: TheSamoa Times and the Samoa Newsboth under two different ownerships.

Only the original News, editedby Sivia Sunia, treated the adminis-tration with complete kindness. TheTimes, edited by Allan Reed and laterby Peter Creevey, was often a thornin its side, and the present News,edited by Jake King, has conductedopen and unremitting warfare againstGovernor John Haydon since 1970.

The Samoa Times edited byPito Fa'alogo, is now published inApia, Western Samoa and is no longeran influence in American Samoa.Apia's other weekly is the SouthSeas Star.

EX-OFFICIALSFrom the

Two former American Samoaneducation officials defended theheavy use of television in Samoanclassrooms, in a January interviewin Honolulu.

"When they first started usingit, they had a good reason--economics," said Stewart Cheifet,manager of the American Samoantelevision system from September1971 to November 1973.

Cheifet said that when theAmerican Samoan Government begana major reorganization of theschool system, about 10 years ago,it was faced with a lack of quali-fied teachers.

The cost for bringing in thehundreds of college-educatedteachers who would be needed wouldhave been "astronomical," Cheifetsaid.

Instead, former American Samoangovernor H. Rex Lee supported aneducational television system, inwhich one teacher could be beamedinto many classrooms. The InteriorDepartment went along with the idea.

The system went into operationin 1964. The network now beams sixchannels of educational programsinto classrooms during the day,Cheifet said.

During the first years of theprogram, each classroom had ateachers aide, who helped thestudents with the lessons given bythe televised instructor, Cheifetsaid.

SAMOAN SUN SETS PUBLICATION: GALLIEN NAMED MANAGING EDITOR

By Glen Wright

DEFEND SAMOA TV SYSTEM

Honolulu Advertiser"That's been turned around

now," said Milton DeMello, who wasdirector of education in AmericanSamoa from 1970-1973. DeMello saidthat television now is used as asupplement to a real classroomteacher.

Cheifet said the revision wasa "legitimate need and developmentof the system" as more qualifiedteachers became available. However,he said television still is usedheavily in the lower grades to teachEnglish.

According to DeMello, a recentsurvey of parents, teachers andstudents indicated "a great needto revise the system.'

The revision began in 1971, hesaid. "Our educational programshave changed considerably," he said.

But both DeMello and Cheifetsaid this did not mean that theeducational-television program, asoriginally conceived, had not worked.

DeMello said it had helpedbring "a modern era of education"to American Samoa.

Cheifet said, "It's prettyclear that the program has been asuccess.

"The American Samoan schoolsystem is not the best school systemin the world, and critics see atelevision set in every classroomand they say: 'Aha That's thecause'" he said.

NEWSLETTER STARTS

The Department of Agriculturein American Samoa has recentlyissued a new publication forSamoan farmers. The newsletter"Lanumeamata' is published inEnglish and Samoa.

Early issues of the new publi-cation includes articles on poultryproduction and fertilizers.

The newsletter was a projectof Miss Taalolo Gal ea' i, department'sadministrative assistant, growingout of her participation in theEast-West Center AgriculturalInformation and Communication Work-shop in fall 1973.

BARNEY PUBLISHES STUDY

Dr. Ralph 0. Barney has writtenan article on his study of com-munication in Tonga, Fiji, AmericanSamoa and Western Samoa in the No. 4,1973 issue of Gazette the Inter-national Journal for Mass Communi-cation Studies. A summary of hisstudy appeared in an earlier issueof PICN.

7

-

British Soiomons

SOLOMONS PRINTERSRUN SHORT OF PAPER

From Fiji Times

Solomon Islands printers wereshort of paper because of a seriousshortage of pulp in the producingcountries, the Solomon IslandsBroadcasting Service reported inJanuary.

A spokesman for ProvincialPress said orders it sent toAustralia had been turned downbecause Australia was short ofpaper and was waiting to hear fromNew Zealand, England and Japan.

Provincial Press ordered news-print from New Zealand, but therewas a four-month delay.

It hoped the paper would arrivein the next ship from New Zealand.

The Government Printer, AlexStewart, said printers ran out oftype bank paper.

Australia could not helpbecause it had to meet its owndemands before sending supplies toother countries.

Stewart said the printers mighthave to wait until later this monthfor new stocks.

WORK TO START ONSATELLITE RECEIVER

Work on a space satellitereceiver station to cost nearly$4 million will begin near Suva inabout two months, the Fiji Timesreports.

The station, a 100 ft. di-ameter, bowl-shaped aerial on atower, will receive and transmitcable traffic relayed to and fromFiji by a telecommunications satel-lite.

The Cable and Wireless CompanyLimited, announced the award of acontract for the construction ofthe Suva station and a similar oneat Dubai in the Middle East.

The company's Fiji manager,Maurice Cheasley, said work wouldbegin in May or June and was dueto finish 15 months later.

The station would supplementthe Commonwealth Pacific Cable(Compac) and would meet all ofFiji's foreseeable internationaltelecommunications needs, he said.

If Fiji ever got a televisionservice, the station would be ableto relay television programs fromoverseas, he said.

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES ADDING INFORMATION

By Jag Narain Sharma

very useful. Perhaps the USP couldrun a course in journalism leadingto a Diploma or graduate level forbetter communication in the SouthPacific.

Recent and expected appointmentsare as follows:

The Fiji Development Bankappointed Mr. Sadiq Khan, formerlyan English language announcer withthe Fiji Broadcasting Commission,as its Public Relations Officerlast year.

The Native Lands Trust Boardappointed Savenaca Railoa as itsPublic Relations Officer last year.Savenaca was an agriculturalannouncer in Fijian language withthe Ministry of Agriculture,Fisheries and Forests and beforejoining NLTB he was an administrativeassistant for the Assistant Directorof Agriculture (Research).

Jag Narain Sharma, formerAssistant Information Officer forthe Ministry of Agriculture,Fisheries and Forests has been thePublic Relations Officer for theFiji Housing Authority sinceNovember 1973. Jag attended a sixweeks Agricultural Information andCommunication Workshop at the East-West Center last year.

The Fiji Sugar Corporation,Fiji National Training Council andthe Prices and Incomes Board areshortly going to announce theappointment of their InformationOfficers.

Interest in communication hasbeen increasing among governmentand private organizations in Fiji.Recently the Fiji Development Bank,the Fiji Housing Authority and theNative Lands Trust Board have ap-pointed their own public relationsofficers, and a few appointmentsare to be announced in the nearfuture.

So far the interest shown inthe field of communication has beenmainly in the statutory bodies;however, a leading tourist resorthas also appointed its own PressLiaison Officer. The Fiji SugarCorporation has also advertisedfor an Information Officer sinceits present public relations officeris retiring at the end of thismonth.

With so many new appointmentsin this field some organizationshave lost their experienced pressstaff, and the gap for trainedjournalists is increasing. Eventhough good opportunities existfor new journalists to train inthis field, there is very littleresponse from the school leaversto take journalism as a career.

Last year the University ofthe South Pacific through its ex-tension services organized two 8-week sessions in 'Writing as aCareer in the South Pacific' forlearning journalists. The responsewas good in the beginning but itdwindled off in the end, althoughthe lectures were interesting and

I PROGRAMMING BRIDGES CULTURAL GAPS

Excerpted from ABU Newsletter

Radio Fiji will be the testingground for a new development inintercultural communication, withthe inception of programming de-signed to bridge the tn-lingualand cultural gaps of this developingnation.

The Fiji Broadcasting Com-mission has decided to appoint ahighly-paid Broadcast DevelopmentOfficer--a skilled multi-lingualbroadcaster--to produce programswhich would help in Fijian develop-ment, bridge cultural gaps betweenraces and cultures, and provide adynamic link between the FBC andpublic authorities.

The new General Manager of theFBC, Hugh Leonard, highly commendedthe move. "Fiji is developing at atremendous pace," Leonard said.

"We have felt for some time thatwe should be playing a larger rolein this development. Our twonational networks reach practicallyevery person in the country, sowe're in a unique position to helpunite the people of Fiji into aprogressive multi-racial nation."

Radio Fiji operates the twonational networks with broadcastsin English, Fijian, and Hindustani.Following a reorganization of theFBC which was completed in 1973, acomprehensive news and currentaffairs service was set up; Fijianand Hindustani language programswere expanded; technical facilitieswere improved; and all FBC executiveposts were opened to qualified Fijicitizens.

'. ,

Hcv.Daii

NEWSPAPER EMPLOYEESWIN INDUSTRY-HIGH CONTRACT

Employees of Honolulu's twomajor daily newspapers have agreedto a new three-year contract thatis one of the highest in the news-paper industry.

The contract provides the 900employees of the Honolulu Advertiser,Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and HawaiiNewspaper Agency with $7.5 millionin additional wages and fringebenefits.

A spokesman for the HawaiiNewspaper Guild, which representseditorial, advertising and clericalemployees, said the settlement wasthe highest newspaper contract inthe United States reached in thepast three years.

Under the new contract themaximum salary paid will rise from$15,444 to $16,562 this year; to$17,706 in 1975; and to $18,928in the third year of the contract.

Members of the Guild, circu-lation employees represented bythe ILWU, photo-engravers repre-sented by the Graphic Arts Inter-national, approved the contractApril 14. Employees who are membersof International TypographicalUnion, the Hawaii Printing Pressmenand the Machinist Union approvedthe contract the following day.

The new agreement will beretroactive to March 18, when theprevious contract expired.

SCOTT NAMED

Honolulu Star-Bulletin publish-er John A. Scott has been named tothe newly-created post of chiefexecutive of Gannett Pacific. Thecorporation brings together theGannett Corporation's Honolulu andGuam newspapers into one organi-zation.

Scott will remain as publisherof Gannett's Honolulu Star-Bulletinbut resigned his post as presidentof the Hawaii Newspaper Agency, thejoint publishing facility of theStar-Bulletin and the independently-owned Honolulu Advertiser.

Succeeding Scott at the HNAis Philipp 1. Gialanella, theformer executive vice president.Both Scott and Gialanella came toHawaii two years ago from otherpositions in the Gannett organi-zation.

PAPERS COST 24

Honolulu's two major dailynewspapers have raised their street-sale prices to 20 cents a copy.The increase went into effect inearly February.

It is the newspapers' second5-cent increases in three years.The Hawaii Newspaper Agency attri-buted the price hike to soaringlabor and newsprint costs.

TWO PUBLICATIONS LAUNCHED...

For Hciiaii Filipinos

A magazine designed to servethe interests of Hawaii's Filipinosmade its first appearance in Honoluluin December 1973.

Paradise Magazine, which carriesthe slogan "Exponent of the Progressof the Filipino Community in Hawaii,"is edited by Chito Pena Camonayan.The managing editor is PacitaCabulera Saludes, and Melchor C.Agag, Jr., is associate editor.David D. Saludez is contributingeditor.

The magazine is published in8 1/2 x 11 inch format, averagesabout 30 pages, carries advertising,and is bilingual.

Paradise Magazine is publishedmonthly by the Soriano PrintingCompany, 1315 North School Street,Honolulu, Hawaii, 96817.

ADVERTISER NAMES PUBLIC OMBUDSMANFrom the Honolulu Advertiser

The Honolulu Advertiser nowhas an ombudsman who checks intoany complaints that readers haveabout news coverage, methods andpolicies, Buck Buchwach, executiveeditor, announced in April. Thenew position is being filled byveteran newsman Charles Ware,assistant managing editor.

Ware will serve as the readers'spokesman in the Advertiser's newsdepartment, Buchwach said. Wheneverhe finds that a complaint is justi-fied, he will see that propercorrective action is taken--anythingfrom correction of a news story tochanges in procedures or in theemphasis given to different typesof news.

The Ombudsman concept origi-nated in Sweden in the early 19thcentury, and implies a commissioneror representative of the peoplewithin the government. About sixother American newspapers have anombudsman.

AUSTRALIAN FILMS AT UHThe College of Education Film

Library at the University of Hawaiihas been designated as a repositoryof Australian films. Nearly 70titles were available in Januaryon nearly all aspects of life inAustralia, New Zealand and Fiji.The films have been produced byFILM AUSTRALIA, formerly known asthe Australian Film unit in Sydney.

TRUMBULL REASSIGNEDRobert Trumbull, New York Times

correspondent covering the PacificIslands for the past five years,was scheduled to be reassigned toOttawa Canada in early 1974, ac-cording to the January PIM. StuartInder, in his "Up Front with theEditor" column, paid tribute toTrumbull 's "accurate, thoughtfulsympathetic" coverage of the area.

On Ethnic Conmnities

A new magazine that will focuson the different ethnic communitiesin Hawaii began publication inJanuary. The monthly publication,Community Review, is published byDr. Henry A. Manayan, presidentand publisher. Editors are RicardoLabez, editor-in-chief, SalustianoR. Bunye, associate editor, andFederico Mangahas, contributingeditor.

The first issue, 11 x 14 inches,has a four-color cover showing thereigning Hawaii-Filipina beautyCarmela Barut, and the entire issuefocuses on the 100,000 or so personsof Filipino ancestry in Hawaii.The February issue was to focus onthe Japanese community in Hawaii.

Dr. Manayan, who also owns partof KISA radio station, stressed thatCommunity Review is for "the people."He said, "The disadvantaged and under-privileged should make this theirorgan--theirs to help develop, toimprove, to make better and betterwith every issue..

The printer is M.E. Publishing,Incorporated, 1834 Nuuanu Avenue,Honolulu, Hawaii 96817, U.S.A. Thepublication carries advertising.

REYNOLDS, KAKESAKOHEAD PRESS CLUBS

The Big Island Press Club onthe island of Hawaii has electedits first woman president. MarciaReynolds, a government and courtreporter for the Hawaii Tribune-Herald, took office on the firstof the year.

On Oahu, Honolulu Star-Bulletinpolitical reporter Gregg Kakesakowas re-elected president of theHawaii Capitol Correspondents As-sociation. The organization, madeup of newspaper, radio and tele-vision reporters who regularlycover state government, was re-sponsible for accrediting newsmenwho are covering the current sessionof the State Legislature.

CARNEGIE LOOKS

The Carnegie Corporation hasasked the University of Hawaii toexplore activities which might beof interest to the corporation inthe Asia and the Pacific.

University President HarlanCleveland and a nine-member facultytask force will consider such ac-tivities as strengthening inter-national education in U.S. highereducation. The work is beingcarried out under a $15,000 feefrom the corporation.

ANDERSON REFLECTSON PRESS DEVELOPMENT

Independent Promises Micronesia-Wide Coverage

Micronesian News Service

Jon A. Anderson, whose column"A Personal View," appears in theweekly Marianas Variety on Saipan,looked back over a year of writingthe column in February. Here'spart of what he had to say aboutthe press in Micronesia:

"Back when this column was inthe talking stages, the editor andI used to hassle over the responsi-bility of the press, specificallywhether it was legitimate to printunsigned columns of opinion, andrumors without attribution. I con-tended that it was not, and finallythe editor said in some exasperation,"Well, then why don't you writesomething for me, and put your nameon it?" It seems he was havingdifficulty getting outside sourcesto permit their names to be used.

"Things have improved sincethen. The weeklies in the TrustTerritory have added to theirstaffs. Increasing numbers ofyoung Micronesians are writing forpublication, and putting theirnames on what they write. That'sencouraging.

"The papers are also runningmore and more stories which theyhave independently gathered, there-by reducing their need for thegovernment-sponsored MicronesianNews Service, and that, too, isencouraging. The development of atruly independent free press inMicronesia is an important long-range goal, one that is recognizedfully by those of us who work withthe Micronesian News Service."

MAJIJRO,---A new newspaper was bornand an old one died in December inMicronesia, but it was a change inname only for the weekly newspaperpublished in Majuro, the MarshallIslands District Center.

Effective with its December 14edition, the paper officially isknown as the "Micronesian Inde-pendent," rather than the"Micronitor." In announcing thechange on Page One, the paper'seditors said:

The paper also announced anincrease in price, from 15 to 25cents an issue, attributed torising costs, and a new publicationschedule that will put the Micro-nesian Independent" in the majorpopulation centers of Micronesia onFridays, thus "giving advertisersthe advantage of a pre-weekendopportunity to reach the public andour readers a chance to read thenewsleisurely over the weekend."

Also effective with the namechange are two changes in the edi-torial staff, the addition ofMoses Uludong of Palau and MikeMalone of Ponape as contributingeditors. Uludong is editor of"Tia Belau," a newspaper publishedperiodically in Palau District.Malone, a former editor of the"Mi croni tor," and "Marianas Variety"on Saipan, and one-time MicronesiaCorrespondent for Guam Publications,now lives and works in PonapeDistrict.

"Our new name, hopefully willconvey two messages: One, that weare Micronesian in outlook andconcern and, Two, that we are inde-pendent. In coming weeks you canlook for and expect to see certainchanges occurring in the pages ofour journals. In many instancesthe changes in layout, presentationand emphasis may not be noticeable.But the overall result, we promise,will be an improvement not only interms of more comprehensiveMicronesia-wide coverage (and byMicronesia we mean to include theGilberts and the Republic of Nauru

as well as the U.S.-administeredTrust Territory), but also a moredeliberate use of photography."

CAMACHO EARNS DEGREE

Dr. Carlos S. Camacho, on thestaff of the Marianas HealthServices, has been awarded amaster's degree in public healthfrom the University of Hawaii.Dr. Camacho was a grantee with theEast-West Communication Instituteduring his graduate studies. Heis also a graduate of the FijiSchool of Medicine.

VOICE COMMUNICATIONS IMPROVED ON PALAU

New voice communications equip-ment in the Palau District Centerof Koror went into service inDecember, according to ElectricalMaintenance Branch Manager RayWiseman of the Trust TerritoryCommunications Division.

"The voice quality of com-munications with Palau should bemuch improved, at least to thelevel of the other districts,"Wiseman said. He noted that Palauis the last of the six districtsto receive the new equipment. Itis now possible to talk with any ofthe districts from any of the otherdistricts by telephone, with qualityat or near that of a regular tele-phone system, a definite improve-ment over the short wave radio

system that was in use exclusivelyuntil a few years ago.

Wiseman also said that con-struction of the new communicationsbuilding in Koror is under way, withcompletion expected in about mid-1974.

In another development, thedivision was to undertake a surveyin January of the feasibility,costs, and equipment needed toprovide a voice-teletype communi-cations circuit between the PonapeDistrict Center and the island ofKusaie. Presently Kusaie, with apopulation of about 5,000 mustmake do with a single side-bandradio. They have neither telephonenor teletype communications withthe rest of the TT.-- FromDecember 15, 1974 Highlights.

***

Micronesia Roundup...

Several new developments incommunication in the Trust Territoryare introduced by Jon Anderson, acolumnist for Marianas Variety.More information will be providedin the next issue of Pacific IslandsCommunication Newsletter:

The Micronitor (serving theMarshalls and Truk) has changed itsname to Micronesian Independent..the Marianas Variety on Saipanrecently celebrated its secondanniversary. Tia Belau in Palauis still publishing, under a neweditor, Hariet Diaz, who wasformerly with Pacific Daily News,but has moved back to Palau. OnSaipan a company has been given abusiness permit to install cabletelevision.. .color is planned.Micronesian Broadcasting Corporationhas received permission to start acommercial radio station--first inthe Trust Territory--expected tobe on the air by the end of thesummer. The company will also moveits studios from the Royal TagaHotel to the Marianas DistrictEducation Department under a leasearrangement with the government.

10

w Hebrides N

Zealand

NEWS EMPHASIZES FEATURES, BACKGROUNDMAORI MEDIA ON ThE RISE

New Hebrides News is the newname of the publication of theBritish Residency at Vile.

Formerly known as the BritishNewsletter, the publication has beenturned toward features and back-ground stories and away from manyof the routine items of transitorynews value that continue to becarried by Radio Vila, Informativefeatures on subjects such as agri-culture and cooperatives are beingdeveloped, and opinion pieces oncurrent affairs by New Hebrideansare being encouraged.

The changes are being carriedout by recently arrived SeniorInformation Officer Jim Hastie, anex-British national newspapermanand broadcasting adviser. Accordingto Hastie, new offset printingequipment will be obtained in orderto produce bigger papers withbetter reproduction of photographs.

RADIO VILA KEEPS CYCLONE PAMELA WATCH

The new hurricane alert pro-cedures for Radio Vile got under-way recently as Cyclone Pamelathreatened to pass right over Vila.Police had quickly rounded up staffwho prepared for an all-nightsession of forecasts and music.A link between the meteo stationand broadcasting studios ensuredprompt forecasting, and there werealways three people at the micro-phones to give the news of Pamela'sprogress in English, Bislama andFrench.

Beer, bread, bacon, biscuitsand bedding soon appeared, and theAssistant Resident Commissionerturned up to 'cheer up the troops."

As it turned out, Pamela wasnot nearly as destructive as ex-pected, but judging from the floodof phone calls received by thestudio, the all-night transmissionwas much appreciated by all.--

Bob MakinBroadcasting OfficerRadio Vila

QKUAM FINEDThe Federal Communications

Commission has ordered KUAM-AM-FM-TV Agana, Guam, to pay a $10,000fine for permitting first classoperators to sign station logs forperiods when they were not actuallypresent and on duty at the station.

In contesting the fine, PacificBroadcasting Corporation, the licen-see, explained that the operatorsin question lived on stationproperty, that the station haddifficulty employing qualified li-censed operators and that the sizeof the fine would impose a severefinancial hardship on the stations.The commission, however, said thatnone of these reasons justified thefalsifying of the logs.--

From Jan. 28, 1974 Broadcasting

Excerpted fromF' Eastern Economic Review

By Denis Wederell

Although some of the firstprinted matter in New Zealand wasin Maori, the Maoris have had towait about 150 years for a publi-cation that they can call theirown. This year has seen a numberof developments in Maori-orientedmedia.

The Maori, a monthly which nowhas about 1,000 subscribers andbookshop sales of another 2,000,is written mostly in English. TheMaori Affairs Department has amagazine which comes out from timeto time, and the Maori TheatreTrust sponsored two or three issuesof an advertising-supported paper.

The boldest effort so far isa newspaper with a print run of20,000 which came out this monthand is due to appear every four tosix weeks. It is written in English,Maori, Tongan, Samoan, and Nuiean.The first issue, produced by the

Tonga

Huinga Rangatahi 0 Aotearoa (formerlythe New Zealand Federation of MaoriStudents), is of four pages. Itscontribution is likely to be as thevoice of radical Maori youth, princi-pally in Auckland, where many feeldisenfranchised by a European-dominated social and politicalsystem.

A comparable development, inbroadcasting, is the proposed es-tablkment in Auckland of a Poly-nesiai-language radio station, whichwill be a major improvement on thefew sessions a week in Maori whichthe New Zealand Broadcasting Corpo-ration and the few private radiostations in this country offer. Butwith four or five distinct Poly-nesian tongues already being spoken,there might be some squabbling overwho has the biggest share of themicrophone.

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NHK Considering Television Aid in Tonga

Japan's largest televisionand broadcasting network NHK willbe conducting a feasibility studyon the introduction of televisionin the Kingdom of Tonga, as theAsian Development Bank begins workon a new telephone network systemin the island group this year.

The proposed TV system wasone of several new developmentprojects announced by KingTaufa'ahau of Tonga following themonarch's visit to Japan. Otherproposals include Japanese fi-nancing for a Tongan airline anda shipyard slipway.

Japanese NHK experts wouldset çp technical equipment, sets,and programming on the main islandof Tongatapu. As proposed, theentire closed-circuit color networkwould be financed by a loan fromNHK to the Kingdom of Tonga. Indi-vidual TV sets will be estimated tocost $200.

NHK officials indicated thatwork on the TV system would proceed

as soon as NHK received a plan ofthe new automatic telephone networkwhich is about to be laid inTongatapu, so it can supply TVcables to be put down in conjunctionwith the telephone cables.

The Asian Development Bank isfinancing the new telephone networksystem, with work beginning thisyear, 1974, and scheduled to beimplemented in five years accordingto the ADB.

The project will improve andexpand the telephone service onthe main island of Tongatapu,provide telephone services on twoother island groups and improve theradio-telephone link between thethree major island groups.

The ADB loan of $1.3 milliontoward the $1.6 million programcarries an annual interest of 1.5percent and is repayable in 30years, including a 7-year graceperiod. ADB will provide thematerials, equipment, vehicles,and consultants necessary for theproject.

11

HOW MEDIA PROGRAM DEVELOPED IN CHURCHES

From Pacific Conference of Churches

The history of the ChristianEducation and Communications Programbegan in 1967 when Dr. CharlesRichards, Director of ChristianLiterature Fund and Dr. Doris Hess,Secretary of Literature, UnitedMethodist Board, United States ofAmerica, conducted a survey ofliterature needs in the whole Pa-cific region. Out of this arosethe need to explore other media ofcommunication besides literature--electronics and audio-visuals, forexample--and the Rev. WilliamMatthews was named Organizer/Co-ordinator of what came to be knownas Christian Communications orCrisCom. His station was in Suva.

Himself geared towards thisarea, and having had years of ex-perience in radio broadcasting,Rev. Matthews set to work establish-ing the religious broadcastingsituation in the island territories.

This he did by visiting allradio stations to find out whatbroadcasters were putting over interms of religious programmes. The

greatest need in the field of radiobroadcasting was TRAINING. He re-visited as many as possible of theislands to conduct training sessionsemphasizing scriptwriting, editingand presentation.

Central workshops were alsoheld in Suva, with participantsfrom all the islands served by thePacific Conference of Churches, of

which CrisCom is a program--fromTahiti to Papua New Guinea, fromMicronesia to Tonga.

Two factors were lack of fundsand the distances between islandgroups. As a result, training isstill the lay role of CrisCom, withthe addition of radio broadcasting,audio-visuals, filmstrip, video taperecording, posters, flannelgraph,flat pictures and other means avail-able in the most remote island orvillage.

Because funds were limited andalso because of the overlapping ofsome of their projects CrisCom andthe Pacific Islands Christian Edu-cation Curriculum (PICEC) merged tobecome Christian Education and Com-munication with Communications ac-quiring the name MEDIA.

Since then, Rev. Matthews hasreturned to his home in Texas,U.S.A. and Galuefa Aseta, a PacificIslander, is now acting director.

Together with the need to con-tinue training of Pacific Islandsbroadcasters and audio visualists,there is a need to have a secondperson for audio-visuals.

From 1974 to 1976 Media sectionwill continue with emphasis ontraining. Then , as far as radiobroadcasting is concerned, it hopesto go into production of programswhich will help to bridge the gapsbetween the scattered peoples ofthe Pacific Islands.

'GRASS ROOTS COMMUNICATION'TO BE PUBLISHED

The December issue of PCC Newsreports that the Rev. DenysSaunders will soon publish a bookon 'grass roots communication"---communication through 'simple ma-terials available to any PacificIslander with imagination--a brownpaper bag, a poster, magazinepictures, simple line drawings,you name it and it's there on yourisland."

The newsletter noted that whilesuch equipment as modern open-reeltape recorders, video tape recorders,automatic slide projectors are nice,"that any tool is as effective asthe person using it.'

"Most of us Pacific Islanders,'the article said, "cannot affordmany of the latest electronic gadgets.For one thing, they are too ex-pensive and, for another, many ofour villages are without electricpower with which to run them. Thequestion then is: 'Can we com-municate our message effectivelywithout this line-up of equipment?'"

PUBLISHING HOUSESERVES CHURCHES

From Pacific Conference of Churches

Lotu Pasifika Productions

L.P.P.' is the ChristianPublishing House, established bythe "CEAC' of the Pacific Conferenceof Churches primarily to meet thegrowing literature needs of newchurches in the Pacific.

The objectives of the Publish-ing House can be summarized asfollows: to make available goodChristian literature; to encouragelocal authors with indigenous ideasand cultural values; to developliterature for people using Englishas second language; to develop aviable publishing programme; todevelop a total training programme;to develop a plan for producingeducational media.

These literature needs havebeen surveyed and assessed. Asthe result, a list of the majorareas of concern has been drawn.Manuscript and writers have to befound. These have been solvedpartially. To Pacific Island

THE EAST-WEST CENTER is anational education institution es-tablished in Hawaii by the UnitedStates Congress in 1960. Formallyknown as "The Center for Culturaland Technical Interchange BetweenEast and West," the federally fundedCenter is administered in cooper-ation with the University of Hawaii.Its mandated goal is to promotebetter relations between the UnitedStates and the nations of Asia andthe Pacific through cooperativestudy, training, and research.

Each year about 1,500 men andwomen from the United States andsome 40 countries in the Asian!Pacific area exchange ideas andcultural insights in East-Westprograms. Working and studyingwith a multinational Center staffon problems of mutual East-Westconcern, participants includestudents, mainly at the postgraduatelevel; Senior Fellows and Fellowswith research expertise or practicalexperience in such fields as govern-ment, business administration orcommunication; mid-career profes-sionals in non-degree study andtraining programs at the teachingand management levels; and au-thorities invited for internationalconferences and seminars. Theseparticipants are supported by feder-al scholarships and grants, supple-mented in some fields by con-tributions from Asian/Pacificgovernments and private foundations.

A fundamental aim of all East-West Center programs is to fosterunderstanding and mutual respectamong people from differing culturesworking together in seeking solutionsto common problems. The Centerdraws on the resources of U.S.mainland universities, Asian-Pacificeducational and governmental insti-tutions, and organizations in themulti-cultural State of Hawaii.

Center programs are conductedby the East-West Communication,Culture Learning, Food, Population,and Technology and DevelopmentInstitutes; Open Grants are awardedto provide scope for educationaland research innovation, includingemphasis on the humanities and thearts.

people, literature development ofthis nature is a new trend, par-ticularly when they are to beinvolved in the work. No doubt, -there are inspirations and per-spective in this scope; but there'salso financial commitment beyondtheir imagination and means. There-fore their major areas of need wouldbe in money and personnel.

There's need to train themembers of the staff, and there'sneed to educate the people in theuse of these new media. A fewbooks have been produced. More areneeded if we are to develop thisfield further.

12