Pacific Governments urged to take journalists on overseas trips
Prime Ministers Department and other government agencies in the Pacific have been urged to involve mainstream media journalists in international engagements involving senior political leaders.
NBC PNG Executive Director Provincial Radio [EDPR-NBC PNG] Rose Amos made the call during a panel discussion at the 8th Pacific Media Summit in Savusavu, Vanua Levu, Fiji.
Ms Amos says journalists should be given the opportunity to accompany prominent political leaders on international trips so they can independently report on the activities and provide checks and balances.
She also says newsrooms should not have to depend only on press releases prepared by public relations officers.
“We need our mainstream journalists to be there. We need to accompany our leaders so that we can ask the questions, we can see what is happening and we can provide that independent reporting to the public," Ms Amos says.
Amos stress press releases can be useful to journalists but should be treated as background information rather than the complete news story.
She furthers that public relations officers have a responsibility to communicate the position and activities of the organisations they represent, while journalists have a responsibility to serve the wider public.
“A press release is background information. It should not become the story itself. As journalists, we have to go out there, check the information, ask questions and find out what is really happening.”
She adds this is particularly important when reporting on government decisions, international meetings and activities involving prominent political figures.
Ms Amos says having journalists physically present also allows them to ask questions that may not be covered in an official statement.
“Our job is to provide checks and balances. We cannot just rely on what the PR officer gives us because our responsibility is to the public.”
" I understand there are budgets allocated for media for in the organisation or government departments and journalists must be captured in that to accompany especially the PMs and its delegations to events in the international arena or domestic so that journalists can provide back to the people/public the information they need to know," Amos stressed.
The comments received wider support from media leaders and journalists attending the summit, with the discussion focusing on the need for independent reporting and stronger accountability.
The call comes as Pacific media organisations examine press freedom, media sustainability, digital innovation and the changing role of journalism.
The summit has also emphasised the importance of journalists questioning, investigating and holding institutions accountable.
For PNG newsrooms, the discussion highlights the importance of direct access to decision-makers, particularly when major government activities are carried out overseas.
It also places a greater responsibility on journalists to go beyond official statements by asking questions, checking facts, seeking other perspectives and reporting what they independently observe.