Journalists focus on Health

Caption: Participants of the media health workshop in Honiara this week.

By Cherelle Jackson
In Honiara, Solomon Islands

[Newsline Samoa] Health and its impacts on Pacific economies is the focus of discussion amongst Pacific Journalists this week in Honiara.
The workshop is part of the biennial Pacific Island News Association (PINA) Convention.
Sponsored by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the pre-convention workshop invited Journalists from Fiji, Vanuatu, Kiribati, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Cook Islands, Samoa and Solomon Islands to share skills and knowledge on ways to improve coverage and reporting of health issues in their respective countries.
The workshop is coordinated by Pacific media trainer Ms. Lisa Williams-Lahari a well known gender activist and Journalist in the region.
“The main aim is to make connections between health and other issues covered by the media,” Lisa said.
Issues such as HIV AIDS, communicable and non-communicable diseases have already been discussed by the regional Journalists.
“We wanted to emphasize that health stories are not just about health,” Lisa said.
According to her health issues impact governance, gender issues, finance and economies.
“All these issues are interconnected, other issues or stories become relevant and make more sense with a good understanding of health,” Lisa said.
Some Journalists agreed that health is already being advocated by Non Government Organizations and Ministries of Health that there is no need for further media coverage.
Lisa disagreed saying: “Journalists have a complacent attitude to sponsored coverage of health issues, because media organizations and Ministries do health promotions it lets Journalists get away from coverage of health issues.”
Editor of Fiji Sun, Mr. Leone Cabenatabu said the media are not usually informed about major health issues and that his Journalists are only invited to openings of workshops and other health publicity activities.
Lisa said: “At the end of the day we do not want to cover workshops, work on hand outs from organizations, we want to move away from this attitude and start coverage from the newsroom. This workshop answers the question, what makes a good health story?”
The pre-convention workshops end on the 23rd of May and the PINA Convention will begin on the 24th.

Pacific Media Trainer, Lisa Williams-Lahari

JAWS in Media and Health workshop

Secretary of JAWS, Ms. Cherelle Jackson is currently in Honiara participating in the Pacific Island News Association pre-convention workshops which kick started on Monday.
JAWS Secretary is taking part in the workshop: “Reporting the impact of Health on Pacific Economies” conducted by Pacific Media Trainer Mrs. Lisa Williams-Lahari.
More than 20 Journalists and Editors from around the region are participating in the workshop which started on the 21st of May.
The workshop is sponsored by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community in collaboration with PINA and the Media Association of Solomon Islands.
President of the Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa Papalii Ualetenese Taimalelagi is expected to arrive in Honiara, Solomon Islands this week to participate in the PINA Convention this Thursday.
This years Convention is focused on the overall improvement of media development and cooperation in the region.
Acting Prime Minister of Solomon Islands Hon Gordon Darcy Lilo will officially open PINA this Thursday.

President and Secretary of JAWS attend PINA

Issued by JAWS from Honiara

President of JAWS, Uale Papalii Taimalelagi and Secretary Cherelle Jackson are currently in the SOlomon Islands representing JAWS to the Pacific Island News Association biennial convention.
Ms. Jackson took part in the 'Reporting Health impacts on Pacific Economy' sponsored by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community. The PINA convention officially begins today in Honiara.

JAWS Editors Forum a great success

Ten local Editors took part in the first ever JAWS Editors Forum in Samoa. The Forum was a great success, the Prime Minister and Australian High Commissioner to Samoa expressed their continued support in media development in Samoa. Six local Editors shared their varied experiences in the media industry and expressed some of their dissatisfactions in the industry. A cocktail party followed at the STA Fale where more than twenty Journalists, Photographers, Camera operators, Layout artists and other media workers joined the Editors on celebrating a successful Forum.

Following are Photos from that night: Taken by Lagi Keresoma, Michael Drew and Cherelle Jackson.

JAWS Editors Forum Programme

Prayer / Welcoming Address:
President of JAWS Papalii Ualetenese Taimalelagi

Keynote Address:
Hon. Prime Minister Tuilaepa Sailele Lupesoliai Malielegaoi

International Address:
Australian High Commission Hon. Matt Anderson

Editors Presentations
Ms. Sala Ulugia
-News Editor, Showers of Blessings
- Broadcast, Religious Media
Mata’afa Keni Ramese Lesa
-Editor, Samoa Observer
-Newsprint, Online Private owned media
Ms. Anelisa Tuala
-Editor, TV3
– TV, Private owned media
Ms. Ame Sene
-News Editor, Radio Polynesia
-Broadcast, Private owned media
Mr. Terry Tavita
-Editor, Savali Newspaper
-Newsprint, Government owned media
Ms. Laufa Leaina Eli-Lesa
-Editor, LauTV
- TV, Private owned media

Concluding Speech
Apulu Lance Polu
Editor in Chief, LeSamoa Newspaper
Newsprint, Online, Private owned media

Q&A Moderated by:
Ms. Cherelle Jackson
Secretary of JAWS
Editor, Newsline Newspaper

Refreshments

Details: Date: 9th of May 2007,

Time: 9:00am,

Venue: Samoa Tel Conference Room, Maluafou
End-of-Activity

JAWS would like to acknowledge the support of the Australian High Commission in Samoa.