Pacific journalists have formed a network that will act as a platform for the exchange of stories and news content on environment issues in the Pacific.
The Pacific Environment Journalist Network was officially launched in Nukualofa, Tonga on Monday night on the eve of the opening of the 5th Pacific Media Summit with the aim of getting together journalists interested in reporting on environment issues and giving them the space, training and resources to do so.
Launching the Network, Pacific Islands News Association (PINA) President Moses Steven said, it is good that the Pacific tells its own stories instead of oversee media coming to report on issues of the Pacific.
“It is time Pacific islanders tell the world their own stories and this is a part of it. I would like to congratulate everyone behind it.”
He said PEJN should work with national media organisations to develop and grow reporting on environment issues because we have to take ownership of our stories.
Earth Journalism Network’s Imelda Abano said, it is important to have such networks to strengthen and improve the quality and quantity of environment reporting in the Pacific.
PEJN is registered in Tonga and will have it’s Secretariat in Tonga as well.
The founding members will be having their first meeting in Nukualofa today where they will be electing the office bearers.
The Pacific Environment Journalist Network (PEJN) is made up of 10 Pacific journalists who had won awards to attend and report on the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) in Bonn Germany in November last year.
Membership will be open to journalists from across the region.
