06 September 2008
AUT media educator praises Pacific paper at awards
20 November 2006
Te Waha Nui Online
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Photo: Wansolwara
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SUVA, Fiji: The 10-year-old newspaper Wansolwara has set a benchmark for media training in Pacific island countries, says AUT University associate professor in journalism David Robie.
Dr Robie, diversity and publications coordinator at AUT’s School of Communication Studies, praised the University of the South Pacific’s contribution to Pacific journalism training over the past two decades.
Speaking as chief guest at the annual USP journalism awards that he established in 1999 as journalism coordinator, Dr Robie said the university had educated a generation of journalists for the region but more effort was needed for the future.
"Today, more than ever, the Pacific needs journalists with the courage, commitment and skills to deal with the issues facing the region,'" he told media personalities and graduating journalists.
The issues included:
* A growing focus on risks to security and economic growth from transnational threats - such as terrorism and organised crime.
* Failures of governance such as corruption and mismanagement.
* Environmental and sustainable development challenges.
* Health and the spiralling HIV/AIDS crisis.
While remarking about political uncertainties in Fiji and the rioting in Tonga, he stressed the complexity of many Pacific problems.
"But the basic skills of journalists remain the same - the ability to report and write professionally, accurately and ethically with context, fairness and balance."
Dr Robie said USP and the Pacific media industry should be proud of the efforts of the Wansolwara student journalists who had won many awards for their journalism, including their coverage of the 2000 coup.
He praised the current journalism staff at USP, head Shailendra Singh, Dr Charu Uppal and Pat Craddock for their efforts.
This year's Newsroom Tanoa award for journalism student of the year was shared by Shazia Usman and Tiriseyani Naulivou, the current Wansolwara editor.
Usman also won the Communications Fiji Ltd prize for the best radio student and Naulivou won the Faculty of Arts and Law award for best editor and the Fiji Sun Award for overall media achievement
Katrina M'au won the Storyboard Award and Radio Australia Prize for her reporting of the recent Pacific Islands Forum in Fiji. M'au also won the Fiji Television Prize.
The main prize, the $1000 Fijilive Gold Medal Award for journalism, will be presented during the graduation medals ceremony early next year.
Link:
- Pacific Journalism Online (USP)
