By VAHEFONUA TUPOLA
In a landmark announcement at the Pacific International Media Conference, the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) introduced a new grant program to support independent media in the Pacific region.
The event, hosted by the University of the South Pacific, in collaboration drew distinguished attendees and numerous media professionals. The Regional Director of IFPIM for Asia and the Pacific Irene Jay Liu unveiled a new grant program designed to bolster the resilience and sustainability of independent media in the Pacific region.
Ms Liu, a former journalist with extensive experience in Asia and the Pacific, emphasised the increasing challenges faced by traditional media particularly in the wake of the internet revolution and the COVID-19 pandemic illustrated the reality of the importance of supporting independent journalism, which serves as a bulwark against corruption and a vital source of trustworthy information.
“The need for trustworthy information has never been greater,” she said.
The new grant program aims to provide resources that will help Pacific media organisations navigate and thrive amidst the current upheavals in the journalism business model, not only to survive but to flourish despite the evolving challenges of the modern media landscape.
The new grant program is poised to play a vital role in fostering economic resilience and leveraging new technologies to enhance the delivery of information.
“Independent journalism, at its best, gives people the information they need to make critical choices for themselves and their families,” Ms. Liu noted.
“It helps us step into the shoes of another, creating understanding in this interconnected world.”
The IFPIM, launched just over a year ago on World Press Freedom Day, is the first multilateral fund dedicated to supporting independent public interest media on the global level.
This article was first published in Wansolwara and has been republished here with the kind permission of the editor(s).
Contributing Author: Vahefonua Tupola is a first-year Journalism student at The University of the South Pacific, Laucala Campus.
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