Talamua goes online

The online version of Talamua Media and Publications officially went online today. Talamua features latest news from Samoa for a global audience.

The introduction of Talamua signifies a transition in Samoan media, from traditional newsprint, broadcast and radio to online web streaming.

Talamua is edited and operated by Apulu Lance Polu.

JAWS congratulates Apulu and his team for the new addition to the news industry in Samoa.

You can find Talamua at: http://talamua.com/index.php

Press Secretary endorses JAWS PR Training

1 April 2008

Statement from the Press Secretariat

RE: Endorsement of JAWS PR Workshop

APIA, Samoa: The Press Secretariat of the Ministry of the Prime Minister and Cabinet for the Independent State of Samoa confirms support and endorsement of the Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa (JAWS) Public Relations Workshop.
The Workshop which will be held on the 15th of April 2008 will train Public Relations and Information Officers from Government Ministries on proper procedures of disseminating relevant information to the media. The Workshop will also explore the role of the Media Officer, Public Relations Officer and Information Officer in relation to the media.
The Press Secretariat supports the initiative by JAWS on the grounds of affirming the Governments role in achieving transparency, accountability and good governance through the successful building of capacity of the relevant Ministry officers.
As the Press Secretariat of Samoa, it is important that we work hand in hand with the media, reflecting the overarching wish of the Prime Minister Hon. Tuilaepa Sailele Lupesoliai Malielegaoi on freedom of the press in Samoa.
The Press Secretariat wishes the JAWS PR Workshop a successful training.

Faafetai

Ualetenese Papalii Taimalelagi
Press Secretary of the Independent State of Samoa

Background of PR Trainer: Geoff Hoddinott

Hoddinott is a communications professional with over 30 years experience covering advertising, marketing and public relations.
For the last eight years he has been Account Director on Sydney-based PR Consultancy, Network PR http://www.networkpr.com.au/
Hoddinott oversees communications strategies, media engagement and media and crisis training for Australian companies and for Australian representatives of multinational companies. Clients he has worked on include FedEx, Recall Document Management, AT&T, and Ford.
As part of that he has also written election speeches for Australian politicians and media presentations for leading global brands.
Hoddinott is a contributor to Australia’s leading online corporate and marketing communication web resource, PR Influences http://www.prinfluences.com.au/
He has been a finals judge on the Consensus Australia and New Zealand Software Awards for the last four years and is also a finals judge for the Australian Interactive Media Industry Association (AIMIA) Awards.
He and his colleagues at Network PR engage daily for clients with media including the Australian Financial Review, the Sydney Morning Herald and the Melbourne Age along with industry magazines, online publications and influential forum administrators and bloggers.
Hoddinott has travelled to Samoa often. He first came here in 1980, brought his bride-to-be Barbara here in 1981 and they were married at Sapapalii in 1987.
Hoddinott will be visiting Samoa with his wife and their 12 year old daughter, Lauren, who has made charitable contributions children with special needs in Samoa.
Hoddinott is conducting this training as his personal contribution to the development of the Samoan media.

JAWS to host local PR Seminar

JAWS will be hosting the first ever Public Relations Seminar for Public Relations and Information Officers of local Government, Private and Civil Society organisations next week. The training is part of JAWS commitment to promote transparancy within those organisations and to assist in the work of Journalists through a free flow of information between all sectors of the community.

For more information on this training, call 754NEWS or email jawsexec@yahoo.com.

SPREP Director urges media awareness

By Justin Faafia

The Director of the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) last week urged the media to assist in creating awareness on the Pacific Year of the Reef (PYOR) commemoration.
Mr. Asterio Takesy said: “The PYOR is a medium that we are choosing to highlight a message to the people to region and to world and large, reef is an important component of life in the Pacific.”

He urged: “We are asking you to help us to carry that message, through the use of the powerful tool such as the media. To encourage you to help us to carry the message by using the powerful tool that you are.”
The Director was speaking at the Journalists Association of [Western] Samoa (JAWS) and SPREP media training for PYOR.
“In SPREP we value the human network established throughout the region and internationally. The role of media for our work is crucial, there is no way that we can carry out the environmental work that we are doing without the help of the media,” Takesy said.
The media, according to him is a component of a democratic society.
“Our members are democratic governments, territories, independent countries, metropolitans and small island states,” he said.
According to Takesy the media is a means of carrying the messages to and from the people SPREP hopes to help through advice and technical assistance.
Although aware of the benefits of the media, Takesy also cautioned saying: “I want to emphasize that one component of the media important to us and that is responsible reporting, accurate reporting and factual reporting, what you will be reporting on is information that will be given to you by experts and from your own background and research, we encourage you to please contribute to help us raise awareness.”

-Newsline Samoa Newspaper

Coral Reef seminar with the media of Samoa

APIA, Samoa: The importance of the media, the coral reef and climate change were issues raised during a media seminar held by the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and the Journalists Association of Samoa (JAWS) at SPREP headquarters two weeks ago.
In his opening remarks, Asterio Takesy, Director of SPREP, welcomed participants to the seminar and stressed the importance of the media in raising awareness of issues such as those addressed by the Pacific Year of the Reef.
SPREP’s Coral Reef Management Officer, Caroline Vieux, identified the various threats to coral, including those resulting from global climate change.
“Of all the problems associated with climate change, accelerated sea level rise may actually be of lesser concern to coral as it has the ability to adapt to grow to rising seas.”
However, Vieux did stress that coral cannot adapt to other climate-related alterations such as rising water temperatures or increased water acidity.
“It’s easy for us to blame sea level rise for all our coastal problems, but in addition to climate change we must also address other causes of damage to reefs, such as dredging and waste. Action is needed now, and that is what we hope to convey through the Year of the Reef,” Vieux stated.
SPREP and JAWS are working together to help build the capacity of local media to report on environmental issues. The 2008 Pacific Year of the Reef was the topic of their first joint seminar this year.
It is hoped that in future SPREP will be able to strengthen the partnership with JAWS through future media seminars on other topics, including climate change, which has been a request from JAWS to SPREP.

For more information please contact SPREP’s Pacific Year of the Reef Campaign Coordinator Sereima Savu E: sereimas@sprep.org