RESEARCH INFORMATION SERVICES

PA¬ I [It!TanI

I$ ANLJCommunication Newsletter

November, 1979

PINA seminar in FijiNewspaper editors and broad-

casting editors from South Pacificcountries will meet from November13 to November 17 at Toberua Is-land, near Suva, Fiji for a sem-inar to be called the SouthPacific Press Institute.

The seminar is being organizedby the Pacific Islands News Associ-ation, under a grant from the AsiaFoundation of the United States.

The Communication Instituteat the East-West Centre, Hawaii, isa co-sponsor of the gathering.

The 22 delegates so far invitedinclude editors of newspapers orbroadcast news services from Fiji,Papua New Guinea, the Solomon

Islands, Tonga, Western Samoa, theCook Islands, Kiribati and Tuvalu.

Members of the Pacific IslandsNews Association in Australia andNew Zealand and elsewhere will beinvited to take part in the seminar

Topics to be discussed will in-clude the needs of a free andstrong press (including broad-casting services) in the SouthPacific, means of improving theflow of news between the PacificIslands and to and from other partsof the world, press-governmentrelations, journalism training inthe South Pacific, and news values

Vol. 9, No. I

in the Pacific.The seminar will also examine

the role of PINA, and its possiblefuture organization. Also to bediscussed will be the possibilityof moving Pacific Island Communica-tion Newsletter offices from Hono-lulu to Suva.

Mr. L. 8. Usher, organizingdirector of PINA and former editorof the Fiji Times will serve aschairman of the seminar. He can becontacted at P.O. Box 1298, Suva,Fiji. His phone is 312-025 andcable address is PACINA, Suva.

The Communication Institute has

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Norfolk's island pressBy Lois Taylor

Honolulu Star-BulletinMay 29, 1979

Norfolk Island is a place withno income tax, no property tax forresidents, no jail, no crime, nounemployment, no poverty. Thegovernment has an annual surplus of$250,000.

It never gets terribly hot and itnever gets very cold. There'senough rain to keep things green.There are fish in the sea, bananason the trees and nobody works veryhard.

Is it any wonder, then, that Edand Alice Howard gave up Clevelandto live 600 miles north of New Zea-land and 900 miles east of Austra-lia? The Howards, who are inHonolulu for a few days on theirway home from the Mainland, livewhat they readily admit is an idyl-lic existenCc.

To keep busy, to earn grocery

money and to be part of the com-munity, Ed Howard owns and editsthe island's only monthly news-paper, the Norfolk Island NewsAlice Howard writes the wine column,the gardening advice and an occasion-al interview. "1 write the heavystuff, Alice does the civilizedpieces,' Howard said.

"I'm the only full-time employ-ee,' he added. "I've got fiveother people who help. We print itin the barn at our farm. I sell theads, design them, paste up the pages,write the editorials and the leadstories, clean up the print shop,delivery the papers and collect thebills.

"We started the paper for thesame reason that Victor Borge thankshis wife and children after a con-cert: 'for making this concertnecessary.'

"I have to go out and beat thebushes for ads, but the paper runs

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Special Issue

Floyd Takeuchi and ThomasBrislin are the editors of thisspecial issue of the PacificIslands Communication Newsletter.Both new editors have spent severalyears in Pacific Islands journalism.

Takeuchi served as assistanteditor of the newsletter when hewas affiliated with the East-WestCommunication Institute, and sincereceiving in 1977 a master's degreein Pacific Islands Studies he hasworked for newspapers on Guam andin Hawaii.

Brislin, former editor and tele-vision cable company manager onGuam, is an assistant professor ofjournalism at the University ofHawaii and works part-time for theHonolulu Advertiser.

Jim Richstad, who was the found-(Turn to Page 3) --

Island news exchangeAn important regional news ex-

change was on the starting grid inJuly.

Its purpose is to link ninePacific nations in an effort toboost the volume of disseminatednews about people and events in theregion.

And since distances are so vastand populations so scattered inthat part of the south and centralPacific known as Oceania, radiohas been chosen as the only mediumcapable of publishing news on sucha geographic scale.

The proposal for a Pacific NewsExchange came from Fiji, one ofseveral small island territoriesto achieve nationhood in recentyears. Says recently-retired newsservices controller for the Austra-lian Broadcasting Commission, Rus-sell Handley: "Fiji, like theothers, wanted more news from kins-folk across the long water fron-tiers that are sometimes measuredin thousands of kilometres of emptyocean.

"Much was available about whatwas happening in London and Wash-ington, in Paris and Moscow, andin Sydney and Tokyo, but not muchat all from their Melenesian,Polynesian and Micronesian neigh-bours."

Fiji asked the AustralianBroadcasting Commission if itsshortwave service, Radio Australia,could do the job and the ABC replywas that it would consider an ap-proach made through a regionalbody. "It did not want to beseen as the sponsor of the scheme,"says Handley.

ABC agreed to the scheme whenit came in from the Asian andPacific Broadcasting Union, pro-vided that editorial control re-mained with ABC. Handley, who asnews controller was editor-in-chiefof domestic and overseas services,explains this as giving RadioAustralia authority to decide whatcontributions to use and the formof use, and to add Pacific newsobtained from its own sources.

Editor's NotesBy Floyd Takeuchi

This issue of the PacificIslands Communication Newslettermarks the return of the only pub-lication that deals with regionalcommunication issues. Over theyears, PICN has often teetered onthe edge of closing but always atthe last minute it has managed tosurvive.

Publication at times has beenirregular but the interest shownby supporters of PICN's effortshas made the difference. Through-out the newsletter's development,Dr. Jim Richstad of the East-WestCenter's Communication Institutehas been the guiding force. Evennow, his interest and concern havekept PICN alive.

Dr. Richstad will be takingPICN to Suva in November to theSouth Pacific Press Institute sem-inar, which is described elsewherein this issue. Hopefully, the ed-itorial office of PICN will betransferred to PINA in Fiji. Thiswas the original intention, andwas to have occurred some fouryears ago.2

But the situation at PINA pre-vented the switch. It was onlythrough Dr. Richstad's efforts, andinvaluable support from Dr. DonTopping of the University ofHawaii's Social Sciences ResearchInstitute, that P1CM kept publish-ing.

The next issue of the newslettermay come from Suva if all goes wellat the seminar. If so, it will bea logical development in the news-letter's "growth" and mark theemergence of PINA as a strong andcentral voice in the Pacific forcommunication and press develop-ment.

Others have contributed toP1CM, and one in particular de-serves an up-date. Susan Allen,former assistant editor, svccess-fully defended her doctoral dis-sertation on Media Anthropology atthe University of Kansas earlierin the year. Dr. Allen is nowworking for U.S. Senator NancyKassenbaum (Kansas) in Washington,D.C.

Dr. Allen, who many PICN readersmet when she traveled to the SouthPacific, says she hopes to get backto the region soon for research.

proposedThe exchange was due to start

following a tour last month byABC's director of overseas ser-vices, Philip Koch, of the par-ticipating countries. These areFiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga,Western Samoa, Solomon Islands,Cook Islands, Nauru and Tuvalu--plus Australia.

"The beginnings of the exchangeare modest," says Handley. "Newsfrom the participating countrieswill be cabled or telexed weekly bythe local radio services to RadioAustralia, which will assemble a10-minute Pacific bulletin. Thisbulletin will be put out for par-ticipants to pick up off-air,transcribe and re-broadcast.

"The programme will be trans-mitted more than once, so that attimes of severe interference therewill be more than one chance toreceive it. This is necessary be-cause the Pacific is subject toviolent cyclonic storms and otheratmospheric disturbance.

"Though the beginnings aremodest, I have great hopes that theservice will develop. And I amproud of ABC's involvement. Austra-lia is a significant pivot in themovement of news to and from thethird world, being an affluentwesternised nation but geographi-cally on the southern edge of Asiaand the rim of the Pacific."

IPI Report, August 1979

PACIFIC ISLANDSCOMMUNICATION NEWSLETTER

PublisherSocial Science Research InstituteDonald M. Topping, DirectorPorteus Hall, University of Hawaii

Editorial StaffCo-editors: Floyd Takeuchi

and Thomas BrislinContributing editors: L.G. Usher

and Jim Richstad

Address all correspondence to:The Editors, PICNJournalism ProgramCrawford Hall 208University of HawaiiHonolulu, Hawaii 96822 USA

'Something's fishy here...'

ByJohn Simpson and if sun spots are acting up, you aboard both days. No one could

Managing Editor might as well kiss your deadline explain what happened.Pacific Daily News goodby.

Guam

Gathering information from the3.5 million square mile wateryexpanse that The Pacific Daily Newsconsiders its prime circulation areacan be a challenge.

For your information I thoughtI'd share a couple of the experi-ences we have had. It is relativelyeasy to get a reporter to the siteof a potential news story.

And people are usually willingto chat about what's happening intheir area. But getting the wordback so we can print it is theproblem.

Last September when the BikiniIslanders were evacuated from theirhome, our correspondent was FloydTakeuchi. He was on board the MicroChief, a Trust Territory field ship.

He and two other reporters werethe only three newsmen of the 36aboard that were filing daily dis-patches. Takeuchi dictated hisreports by ship's radio to Ma.juro.This is how he described the expe-rience:

Sending messages on a radio isnot like talking on a telephone.There is static, words are garbled,

"To insure our stories werebeing sent correctly, we had tosend each story letter-by-letter,which meant that a word likeBikinians became 'Bravo, India,Kilo, India, November, India, Alpha,November, Sierra. A five-pagestory I did took three hours totransmit and that was only toMajuro."

From there the story was sent bytelex through the Trust Territorynetwork to Saipan. Trust Territoryofficials transferred it to commer-cial lines and relayed the messageto Guam. I passed the message on tothe Gannet News Service inWashington by telex, which sent thestory on to other Gannet Newspapersacross the United States.

Getting our recent reports fromPalau's Constitutional Conventionhasn't been easy either. We'vebeen relying on Continental-AirMicronesia's four-times-a-weekflights. The first two flights toGuam after our reporter, GwendaIyechad, arrived on Palau came toGuam without news.

The cargo manifest showed thatthere was to have been a news pouch

Finally something clicked andthe pouches of copy started toarrive before the material theycontained was ancient history.Then our messenger arrived from theairport one afternoon gingerlycarrying the latest pouch ofIyechad' s dispatches.

It soon became clear why. Youdidn't have to look. You couldsmell. The entire news staff couldsmell. The packet reeked of freshfish.

Apparently the pouch had come toGuam under the most recent catch ofthe day, though by the time thepouch got to our newsroom it didnot smell of fresh fish. It stank.

I pulled rank and decided that Iwasn't going to edit those stories.I did read a short note fromIyechad, however.

In the informal way that areporter writes her boss about astory that hasn't quite come to-gether Iyechad had penned this pro-phetic line:

"I think something is fishyhere..."

PINA seminar in Fiji(Continuedfrom Page 1)

made the services of Dr. JimRichstad available to help in theorganization, and further assis-tance will be provided by theInternational Communication Agencyof the American Embassy in Suva.

Guest speakers at the Institutewill include a renowned Americanjournalist, Mr. Barry Bingham, anda weekly newspaper publisher, Mr.Eugene Johnson, also from theUnited States.

Mr. Bingham is a former editorand now chairman of the LouisvilleCourier-Journal and Times He isa former chairman of the AdvisoryBoard of American Press Instituteand was made an honorary lifemember of the International PressInstitute after being presidentfrom 1964 to 1966. He is a direc-tor of the Asia Foundation and a

former trustee of the RockefellerFoundation.

Mr. Bingham served with the U.S.Navy in World War II and receivedthe decoration of CBE from Britainand the Legion of Honor fromFrance. He was chairman of anAmerican Economic Co-operationAdministration Mission to Francein 1949-50.

Mr. Johnson, who operates sixweekly newspapers in Minnesota,is an expert in weekly newspapermanagement, circulation and salesHe is a director of the NationalNewspaper Association and formerpresident of the Minnesota,Newspaper Association.

Like editors and publishers ofmany Pacific Islands newspapers,Mr. Johnson became a successfulpublisher without a formal train-ing in journalism.

Special Issue(Continuedfrom Page 1)

ing editor in 1970, will continueas a contributing editor.

The Pacific Islands News Associ-ation (PINA) is one of the sponsorsof the newsletter, and L.G. Usher,organizing director of PINA, con-tributes to the newsletter. TheSocial Science Research Institute,under the leadership of Dr. DonaldTopping, serves as publisher.

P1CM has had difficulty main-taining a publication schedule thisyear, and it is under considerationto transfer the editorial officesto PINA offices in Suva, and pub-lish from there.

This is a 'special issue' ofPICN because it may be the last oneto be published in Honolulu.

SHORTTAKES

Marianas VarietyJuly 26, 1979

SAIPAN - Francisco Uludong, Sal-pan reporter for Guam's PacificDaily News, has been awarded a DagHarmiarskjold Fellowship to coverfor the United Nations thd nextsession of the United Nations Gen-eral Assembly beginning in September and ending this December.

Uludong, 31, is originally fromPalau and is a journalism graduateof the University of Hawaii.

The prestigious scholarship wasset up in the 1960s in honor ofthe late former Secretary Generalof the United Nations who waskilled in a plane crash in Africain the 60s. Uludong, one of fourjournalists from throughout theworld granted the fellowship thisyear, is the first Micronesian tobe so honored.

SAVALI EDITOR

SACKED

An editor quoted in IPI Reportlast year as saying his employers,the government, did not suppressindependent newspapers, has beengiven the sack.

New Zealander Mike Field ofSavali a weekly produced by thePrime Minister's office of WesternSamoa, was given three months' payand told to leave the country.

He was reported as saying theorder came after Savali had ap-peared with several blank spaces.Premier Tupola Eli told Field notto report that a former legislativeassembly member had been convictedon six bribery charges.

Savali told its readers theblank spaces were due to the govern-ment having ordered the removal ofthe court report a few hours beforepublication.

Field was quoted in IPI Reportlast year as saying his paper wasnon-critical of the government."It simply states the government'spoint of view. That is its func-tion. But, unlike totalitarianpress systems, Western Samoa'sother newspapers have rightsguaranteed by the constitution."

Norfolk's busy press(contimiedfromPage l) shut it down. The prison was

designed to provide intentionallyin the black--it's no great money 'the harshest punishment short ofmaker, but it pays for the gro- death.'ceries.""Thesettlers from Pitcairn

The circulation of the Norfolk Is- were told that they could have theland News is 750 ("That's units, not entire island and its buildings tothousands," Howard explained.) Butshare among themselves. Later thethat's pretty good, when you con-British, and then the Australians,sider that the population of thesaid this was a misunderstandingisland is only 1,200.onthe Pitcairners' part."

"We count heavily on the tour-In1896 the self-governing is-ists, however," Howard said. "Weland was made part of the Austra-get about 20,000 a year. Otherwise, han state of New South Wales, andthe local shops wouldn't need to in 1914 it became a federal tern-advertise. Everybody on the island tory of the Australian Commonwealth.knows where they are and what theysell."

-

-

Norfolk Island is three mileswide by five miles long, and isequipped with two genuine moun-tains and 150 miles of paved road.The three-man police force oc occu-pied almost entirely with trafficviolations, and they aren't verybusy.

"Half of the population of Nor-folk are descendants of themutineers on the Bounty, Mrs.Howard said. "They speak a com-bination of Elizabethan English anda native Polynesian language. Theyare wonderfully kind and honest.

'You leave your keys in yourcar, your house unlocked and yourpurse open on a shop counter. It'squite the nicest place."

But regardless of their good man-ners, the islanders are not gettinga fair shake, according to the How-ards, and they have made this thenewspaper's crusade.

To explain their position, Howardreviewed the island's history. Itwas discovered, as was so much inthe South Pacific, by CaptainJames Cook. Politically, it is a"non-self-governing territory" ofAustralia, and that's what bothersthe Howards and almost everybodyelse on Norfolk.

Cook discovered it in 1774, just6 years before Fletcher Christianed the mutiny on the Bounty againstaptain William Bligh.Th muti-eers set Bligh adrift and headedhe Bounty toward Australia. Theyeached uninhabited Pitcairn, wentshore and burned the ship.

In 1856, because of overpopula-ion on Pitcairn, some of the survi-ors of the mutineers were movedo Norfolk Island by the British.

"Norfolk had been the Devil'ssland of the Pacific," Mrs. Howardaid. "It had such a stench forruelty that finally the British

"In 1967, we went to Norfolk Is-land on a holiday, and the minutewe saw it, we fell in love with it,"Mrs. Howard said. "We bought proper-ty there in 1968, and moved therepermanently five years ago. That'swhen we started the newspaper."

"The beaches are beautiful,"Howard continued, "and we have anifty little golf course on theedge of the ocean. The greens aresquare because the cattle have theright of way on Norfolk. The greensare fenced in barbed wire to keepthe cattle out, and square is howyou do barbed wire.

"Every family owns its own home.There is no income tax and no proper-ty tax except to absentee landlords.If you can fish and keep a littlegarden, you don't have many ex-penses.

"We swim, we fish, we do somefree lance writing, and Alice givespiano lessons between editions ofthe paper.

"Island people are different frommainland people, and you know thisin Hawaii. Island people take adifferent view of life. There'smore laughter, more humanity, anda little more humility because yourealize you are just a small speckin a big ocean. That doesn't hurtanybody."

The 1,200 people are governed byan administrator appointed by theAustralian government, and therehas been little love lost betweenthe present administrator, D.F.O'Leary, and the Norfolk IslandNews.

The fray began when O'Learyimported a Mercedes sedan fromEurope to Norfolk without payingthe duty. "He claimed diplomaticimmunity, which he doesn't have,"Howard said. "He intended to shipit to Australia, but we nailed himwith all the gruesome details. It

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.Island papers

There's good newsBy Floyd K. Takeuchi

PICN

For the Press in the PacificIslands, the last five years hasbeen a period of growth and devel-opment unlike any in recent times.

The number of new newspapersthat have appeared, and the im-provements in existing papers, arehighly positive developments. Theymark a level of professionalism andjournalistic maturity that oftenhas been lacking in the region.

The number of newspapers nowpublishing in Western Samoa is anexciting development, as is the im-pressive change in Tonga Chronicle.In Micronesia, a new paper in theNorthern Marianas has made a strongbid to be the best locally ownedpaper there.

On Guam, which has been dominat-ed for the past 15 years by thePacific Daily News, a local busi-nessman is about to launch a morn-

ing daily to compete head-on withthe Gannett-owned Daily News.Gannett is the largest chain ofAmerican newspapers.

The Guam Tribune, as it is ex-

pected to be called, published bybusinessman Mark Pangelinan, hasits own press as well as its own

computer-editing systm.

In the South Pacific, the mostimpressive change is the improvedappearance and better editing beingdone on local newspapers. Thecluttered, quickly-put-together

look of the past has been replacedin many instances by sharp, well-balanced make-up. Readability hasbeen significantly improved.

Many papers now are using betterphotographs, and displaying themmore effectively. The graphicdisplay in The Tonga Chronicle isnoteworthy, as is the over-allappearance.

Writing on most papers still isthe weakest link but it also isimproving. In-country and over-seas training of journalists isbeginning to make its mark, and onecan only hope that the process ofprofessional development will con-tinue.

A significant training programin Micronesia fell through at thelast minute in June, when the Com-munity College of Micronesia onPonape lost a $40,000 journalismtraining grant. The grant, pro-vided by the Gannett Foundation,was withdrawn afer internal prob-lems at the college resulted in achange in the school's administra-tion. The grant may be renewed,however.

But if the loss of the Gannettgrant was bad news for some aspir-ing Micronesian journalists, thesuccess of the weekly CommonwealthExaminer in the Northern Marianasis good news.

In less than a year, the paperhas made impressive strides. It is

owned by the speaker of the North-ern Marianas House of Representa-tives but editorially it has re-mained free of political influence.It is edited by an American and aMicronesian, both experiencedjournalists, and draws on localnews stories as well as the Micro-nesian News Service and wire andphoto service from Reuters, whatcould be a first for a PacificIsland newspaper--certainly a week-ly.

Perhaps the next challenge tothe Island press will be to in-crease the number of newspaperspublished on a daily basis. Mostpapers still are weeklies, thoughin some areas there are indicationsa daily or publication three timesa week might be financially possi-ble.

One of the biggest problems, ofcourse, is the capability of localpresses to handle the load. Theavailability of newsprint has, inrecent months, also posed a prob-lem.

But in spite of the problems--and when haven't there been prob-lems facing the Island press--thegains made over the past few yearsare highly encouraging.

Increased professionalism on thepart of Island journalists leads tobetter newspapers, which in turnleads to higher expectations on thepart of readers. It is a positivecycle.

The challenge to the Pacificpress in the coming years is tocapitalize on its gains, and devel-op a new tradition of journalisticexcellence in the Islands. Judgingby the quality of many papers now,it is a challenge most journalistsin the region are up to.

I £TiixrnuaI"Lau Nusipepa Tusla I Lau Lava Gagana a to Mltamfta al Nu'u Es."

More and more newspapersare appearing in the Pacific,and Western Samoa seems tohave more thanany otherisland group. SAMOANAL one of theactive news-papers there.

Overcoming obstacles

By Sir John Yocklunn

From PILS Newsletter

The newly established NationalLibrary Service of Papua NewGuinea has beengiven responsibil-ity for the National Archives, forthe National Film Library, foradvice and assistance to thecountry's public libraries andschool libraries, for establish-ment of national collections andother national services, for pro-vision of library services toParliament and to governmentdepartments, for coordination andrationalisation of governmentlibraries and for preparation of anational plan for libraries.

This would be a daunting task ina developed country, with adequatestaff and funds. But in PapuaNew Guinea the difficulties arecompounded by several majorobstacles.

of interest, or the book may betoo difficult because it assumesa western cultural backgroundwhich, of course, few Papua NewGuineans have.

Communication and transport aredifficult and expensive because ofthe terrain. The population of

The National Library is seekingSir John Yocklunn, the National ways to overcome some of these

Librarian of Papua New Guinea, was obstacles. For example, we areborn in China and educated in considering the use of "talkingAustralia. books." Develoned for the blind in

After initial service in theTreasury in Canberra, he workedfor the National Library ofAustralia before taking theposition of Librarian-in-Charge ofthe Administrative College ofPapua New Guinea. He subsequentlyserved for periods as ExecutiveOfficer of the Public ServiceBoard of PNG, and as PrincipalPrivate Secretary to the ChiefMinister of Papua New Guinea.

Less than a third of the popu-lation can read; and this figureincludes not only those literate inEnglish, but also in Pidgin, Motuand vernacular languages.

Much of the normal librarymaterial available is unsuitablefor PNG: the English is tooadvanced, many can read only in alingua franca or a vernacular,the subject may not be relevant or

He was knighted in 1975 for hisservices in politics and again in1977 for services as Director ofthe Queen's visit to PNG.

the country is widely scattered,with the bulk in rural areas farfrom the main towns. And notsurprisingly, for a developingcountry, expenditure on economicdevelopment, education, and health

in PNG

care are seen as higher prioritiesthan library services.

For these reasons, the usualwestern approach to provision oflibrary services may be inappro-priate, costly and ineffective inPapua New Guinea.

Western countries, they may be away of reaching the illiterate.

We are developing a nationallending collection from whichreaders can borrow by post or airfreight. We are trying to improveour existing lending service forfilms. We are seeking ways ofovercoming the lack of suitablereading material.' We are planninga telephone reference service bywhich users can seek information,from the library, through a freephone call. We are looking atalternatives to conventionallibraries.

But apart from looking at waysof providing more relevant andmore effective library services,we must critically examine thevalidity in our situation of theaccepted concept of libraries. Itis not enough to ask how--we mustalso ask why.

Norfo1ks busy press(Continued from Page 4)

made headlines in Canberra, and thecase came before the AustralianSenate's committee on foreignaffairs."

The administrator is now makingdo with a white Ford, but toHoward's disapproval, he flies asmall Australian flag from a goldflagstaff on the ftood of the car.

"He has sought to extend hispowers rather than using them withrestraint," Howard wrote in hisnewspaper.

Howard dug around in librariesthroughout the South Pacific tosubstantiate the Pitcairners stand

that they had been promised self-government when they moved to Nor-folk.

"I've got a nice big family allover the Pacific, and they did re-search for me in Tasmania, Brisbane,Auckland and Sydney. When all thepieces were put together, we knewthe islanders were right."

Right or wrong, there has beenno change, and the Howards continueto push. The current issue of theNorfolk Island News reports knowl-edge of a confidential Australiangovernment paper on the possibilityof a large petroleum deposit underthe island's continental shelf.This the Howards say, makes it even

more unlikely that Norfolk will getits independence.

Despite their differences withthe Aussies, the Howards haverelinquished their U.S. citizenshipto become Australian citizens.

"We moved to Australia in 1962with our four children to establisha branch of the family company, apublic relations firm based inCleveland," Howard said. "We set-tled in Sydney, intending to stayfor only a couple of years. Thenthe kids got settled, fell in love,married and started families. Sowe never moved back."

A responsible pressFrom Marianas Variety

By Daniel DanzigMarch 23, 1979

Just mention casino gambling,scholarships, or unified budgetand you have a tussle on your handsUnwittingly, youhave entered thearena and are faced with thegladiators of opinion. Issues likethese are of great concern to thecitizens of the Northern Marianasand we should not be surprised atthe controversy that surroundsthem. When people are concernedabout personal happiness, familysecurity, and community welfarethere is bound to be some sparringand shuffling.

Much of the elbowing on theissues is focused for us in thepapers and on radio and TV. Sand-wiched between the funnies, soapcommercials and pop tunes, themedia pour out the news in blackand white, living color, and stereosound. As the gatekeeper of infor-mation, the media perform an indis-pensible function in a democracy.By providing a forum for the pro-cessing of information, the presscontributes to the development ofthe community. As the NorthernMarianas and the rest of Micronesiacontinue to define their cultural,political, and economic roles, thepress will have an ever increasingvalue in focusing the issues andfacilitating their solution.

The press, however, is not sim-ply a passive channel through whichthe information flows. It is oftenat the center of the ring in aclinch with the community it serves.No sooner had we heard of the con-stitutional rights of the press inPalau, then those rights were beingthreatened. At any one time, Isuppose, the Pacific Daily News(Guam) has a variety of legal entan-glements with people who feelunfairly treated by the paper.Criticism of the press and threatsto investigate it are nothing newin the Marianas, too.

We ought not to be surprised bythe controversy that sometimesthreatens or chastises the press.Through the gates pass not onlyfacts and figures and names andplaces, but opinions, values, inter-pretations, and judgements. Thehumanity of writers, reporters andeditors makes them as susceptibleto the frailties of the mind andflesh that are our common lot.Nevertheless, the press does havepower to inform, influence, andpersuade. Where there is influencethere will be resistence; wherethere is persuasion we find argu-ment; and where there are yourfacts--there are also my facts:

In this system of gathering,synthesizing, and delivering thenews, what then characterizes aresponsive and responsible press?Foremost, is the understanding thatthe people have the right to know.

In days of old the Chamorros orCarolinians would gather at thetraditional meeting houses andshare the news. Verbal reportswould be brought from nearby vil-lages or islands and the issueswould be discussed. Today, workers,enterpreneurs, and politicians meetin restaurants and discuss overcoffee the headlines in the morning(or weekly) paper. Thus, thereporter performs his social func-tion of disseminating information.

The Northern Marianas has em-barked upon a long and perilousjourney which we trust will lead tothe preservation of the culture,the advancement of the community,and the welfare of the individual.Without a responsible and efficientpress, the people may find them-selves tossed like waves across thereef.

We have the right to be informed andto be aware of what influences ourlives and how our leaders are per-forming. Second, the press has theresponsibility to inform people ofthe truth. It is not sufficient toknow only what someone in a positionof power may want me to know, but weought to have the information neces-sary to make our own enlighteneddecisions. Finally, we must have apress that provides this information,or truth, in a timely and efficientmanner. When a major decision is athand, like a road through my proper-ty or a tax on my income, I musthave this information in time toparticipate as a responsible citi-zen.

BROADCASTERS MEETFrom Nauru Bulletin

The second meeting of the PacificGroup of Commonwealth broadcastingassociation reaffirmed in August itsbelief that the introduction oftelevision in the Pacific should nottake precedence over the full devel-opment of radio broadcastingservices.

The meeting felt, however, thatgovernments in the region shouldtake into account that the possibleintroduction of television should bepreceded by a program of trainingfor both production and technicalstaff if the television service isto ensure its capabilities of localproduction.

KSAI CELEBRATESMarianas VarietyApril 6, 1979

SAIPAN - KSAI radio celebratedits first anniversary of broadcast-ing, this spring.

The easy listening and religiousoriented daytime station began ope-rations after constructing a studioin Susupe, which was completed inJanuary 1978.

KSAI currently broadcasts with1000 watts but future plans callfor a 10 KW operation with towerand transmitter in Tanapag, Saipan,which will carry their signal (936kHz) throughout the Marianas and asfar away as the Caroline Islands.

NEW HEBRIDES FILMAustralian Information Service

July 1979

Sydney, AUSTRALIA. - The Austra-lian Film Commission and FrancesCentre Nationale de la Cinematogra-phie are considering the co-produc-tion of a film set in the New He-brides. The film is to be directedby French-born Henri Saffran, who

lives in Sydney, and who directedthe internationally successfulAustralian film for children StormBoy'. The proposed film is an ad-venture comedy based on the truestory of the creation of an airline

TELECOMMUNICATIONS MEETINGSET FOR JANUARY IN HAWAIl

The 1980 Pacific Telecommunica-tions Conference will be held inJanuary 7-9 at the Ilikai Hotel inHonolulu.

The second PTC is designed tobring together representativesfrom governments, universities,industry, professional groups and

regional organizations to discussthe needs and pospects for tele-communications services in thePacific area.

Of special interest will beseveral panels on the PacificIslands needs and how those needsrelate to the telecommunicationsindustry and international ac-tivities.

The conference provides aplace for Pacific Island governmentand others to discuss their tele-communication needs and problemswith the industry, Richard Barber,conference director, said. He saidthe conference also provides aplace to examine development oflocal management resources and toobtain information on telecommuni-cations without relying on thecarriers.

SPCNAMES A-VOFFICER

From Nauru Bulletin

Robin German recently took upappointment with the South PacificCommission as Audio-Visual AidsOfficer.

German, who will be based at theCommissions Regional Media Centerin Suva, has worked for 10 years incommercial radio and television inAustralia and New Zealand. In 1971he joined the New Zealand Ministryof Agriculture and Fisheries asAudio-Visual Producer at a FarmTraining Institute.

German's duties with the SPC wilinclude advising on audio-visualtechniques and equipment and pre-paring materials for presentation.He also will train local personnelin audio-visual techniques andequipment operation.

Specific program areas include"Economics, Finance and Regulation,""Pacific Issues, Plans and Develop-ment," "Social Planning and Policy,""Telecommunication, Engineering,"and "Data Communications." Specialdisplays and demonstrations areplanned. There will be keynoteaddresses from prominent leadersin government and industry, andpresentation of 70 papers in the24 sessions.

Persons interested in the con-ference can write to RichardBarber, PTC '80, University ofHawaii, 2424 Maile Way, #704,Honolulu, Hawaii 96822 U.S.A.

More than 315 persons from 15countries attended the first PTC in1979.

Co-Sponsors of the 1980 meetingare the Department of Planning andEconomic Development, State ofHawaii; the East-West CommunicationInstitute; the Hawaii Tele-Conniuni-cations Association; the HawaiianTelephone Company; the Comunica-Itions Society of the Institute ofElectrical and Electronics Engi-neers, Inc.; the Public ServiceSatellite Consortium, and theUniversity of Hawaii.

MAGAZINE SEEKS WRITERS

The New Pacific a general-interest, bi-monthly magazine withfeature articles and news items

r)It the Pacific Island world,began its fourth year of publica-tion with the July-August 1979issue.

Manuscripts are welcomed forpublication consideration. Featurearticles cover aspects of islandlife and should be about 1,500words, with several photos. Thevarious departments of the magazinecarry shorter articles ard photosabout business and transportation,sports, the political scene, newand ongoing programs, people,adventure, annual celebrations--whatever's happening in the islands

The New Pacific is particularlyinterested in lining up on-the-scene stringers to contribute shortitems (up to 400 words) on a regu-lar basis about current events anddevelopments in their islands.

Send material and photos, alongwith a self-addressed, stampedenvelope, to: The New Pacific,Box 25488, Honolulu, Hawaii 96825.

WACC TO CONVENE

1stPACIFIC ASSEMBLY

The World Association ofChristian Communication's newestregional association, the Pacific,will hold its first assemblyNovember 12-14 at St. JohnsTraining Center in Suva.

The Pacific region of WACC,including members from Papua NewGuinea and Fiji, was created fromthe larger Asia regional associa-tion, a WACC newsletter, Action,reports.

The Rev. Richard W. Adler of theChurches' Council of Media Coordi-nation, Boroko, PNG, is the interimchairperson. Officers will beelected at the assembly, the otherorganizational matters discussed.

RADIO VILA GETS BOOST

Australia-South Pacific Newsletter

Vila, NEW HEBRIDES. - Australiais giving $Al,200,000 to improvethe facilities operated by RadioVila, the national broadcastingservice in the New Hebrides.

Radio Vila now operates a ser-vice in French, Erlgish and Pidginwith low-powered transmitterswhich are unable to provide a re-liable signal beyond a limitedarea of the Condominium archipela-go.

The Australian help providesfor high-powered transmitters toincrease the broadcasting ser-vice's coverage and improve thequality of radio signals to outerislands.

As part of the project newtransmitters halls are being builtat Vila and Santo, and a new ad-ministrative and studio buildingin Vile.

An Australian aid consultant isdesigning and supervising thebuilding and technical works.

Work on the project began inFebruary this year and is expectedto be completed in 21/4 years.

With the approach of indepen-dence, the Government of the NewHebrides has given high priority tothe upgrading and expansion of thecountry's radio service.