[IRCA] Pacific Pubcasters Seek Foreign Aid

[Geralyn Hollerman <lynnhollerman@xxxxxxxxx>]

For anyone interested:
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Media Release
www.radioheritage.com
July 24 2011

Pacific Pubcasters Seek Foreign Aid
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A group of public broadcasters in the South Pacific have joined
forces with a key aim of co-ordinating their requests for foreign aid
reports the Radio Heritage Foundation.

The Pacific Association of Public Service Broadcasters was set up
earlier this month at a meeting in Vanuatu and brings together NBC
Papua New Guinea, SIBC Solomon Islands, TBC Tonga and VBTC Vanuatu.

According to one report, one of their main objectives is to
collaborate on requests to foreign countries and aid agencies for
money to fund digital broadcasting, new equipment, staff training,
infrastructure and much more.

No information was made available on what their current combined
budgets amount to, what commitments their own governments are making
to support their future broadcasting plans from domestic resources
and how much foreign aid money has already been poured into the four
broadcasters in the past two decades.

All four broadcasters are facing increased competition from local
commercial stations and losing market share of local listeners. These
local commercial stations fund themselves by raising capital from
shareholders and selling advertising. 

The four partners have started their efforts by signing a Friendship
& Co-operation Agreement, and are now busy drafting the constitution,
regulations and policies of their new organization.

"The challenges faced by the four Pacific pubcasters reflect those of
fellow public service broadcasters in Australia, New Zealand, Canada
and the USA, where tough economic conditions have already frozen or
reduced budgets" says Radio Heritage Foundation chairman, David
Ricquish.

They also face common issues of increased competition from digital
and internet broadcasting platforms and essentially, no longer
operate just within their national borders. Their regulatory
structures no longer offer as much protection from competition as
before.

"Expect their increased requests for foreign aid to be met by a closer
look at their efficiency, their governance and whether or not their
programs and services continue to meet contemporary listener
expectations and needs" adds Mr Ricquish. 

If potential Chinese 'soft loans' for these pubcasters will be
accompanied by more than a cursory look at these issues remains to be
seen. 

"Whether there remains a role for pubcasters in these relatively small
Pacific economies and if there is, what it might be and how best to
resource it, is one key issue now confronting these PAPSB members"
concludes Mr Ricquish.

The Radio Heritage Foundation says it's good to see them taking a
collective approach to these challenges, and some responsibility for
their own futures. 

_____________________________________________________
Radio Heritage Foundation is a registered non-profit cultural
organization connecting popular culture, nostalgia and radio
heritage. It's global website is www.radioheritage.com which offers
free community access to contemporary radio guides covering the
Asia-Pacific region and hundreds of features about radio
broadcasting. Annual supporters are invited to donate US$25 or US$50
towards maintaining these free services via www.radioheritage.com.
All donors are publicly acknowledged unless requesting otherwise.
_____________________________________________________ 
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Lynn.
Lafayette, LA
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