Pacific Islands Media: Navigating a Sea of Challenges

Please join us for an event examining the Pacific media landscape and how partners like the United States can support free and open journalism across the region. The event will take place on Friday, December 6^th, from 9:00 am to 11:30 am.  

Rising geo-strategic competition has thrust the Pacific into the disinformation battleground. Additionally, the media sector in the Pacific Islands faces significant challenges such as limited resources and geographic isolation which can restrict access to timely and accurate information. While the U.S. and other partners have supported media development through various programming, there is still a need for stronger coordination and greater investment to bolster independent media and address the ongoing challenges faced by Pacific Island journalists.   

The event will begin with a keynote address from New Zealand's Ambassador to the U.S., Rosemary Banks, followed by two panels. The first panel, moderated by Jessica Stone of VOA News, will focus on the current media environment in the Pacific Islands and include Tevita Motulalo from the Tonga Independent Online, Ongerung 'Kambes' Kesolei from the Palauan newspaper Tia Belau, and Indra Singh from the Fiji Broadcasting Corporation.  The second panel, moderated by CSIS’ Kathryn Paik, will explore U.S. assistance in the region and include Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Global Public Affairs at the U.S. Department of State, Camille Dawson, Deputy Assistant Administrator of East Asia and the Pacific at the U.S. Agency for International Development, Sara Borodin, and Dircetor of Business Development at the U.S. Agency for Global Media, Joan Mower. 

CSIS' Australia Chair conducts independent policy research aimed at strengthening U.S.-Australia relations. The Chair is endowed through the generosity of Pratt Industries.