Environmental reporting vital for journalists

Internews EJN content co-ordinator for the Pacific Imelda Abano, left, with EJN Pacific region co-ordinators Geoffrey Smith from Fiji and Ben Isigala Kedoga from Papua New Guinea. Picture: SUPPLIED

By MEREONI MILI

VETERAN journalists Netani Rika and Geoffrey Smith spoke of the need to develop environmental reporting in the region during the 5th Pacific Media Summit in Tonga last week.

Veteran journalist Netani Rika. Picture: SUPPLIED

Rika, director of communication for the Pacific Council of Churches, said journalists needed to tell stories of people on the ground who were facing the impact of climate change and environmental issues.

Rika said the media industry should invest in resources to cover environmental stories because it was important.

Smith, the Fiji content co-ordinator for Earth Journalism Network (EJN), said funding was a problem when it comes to environment stories because journalists did not specialise in environment reporting in the newsrooms.

“We as journalists should tell the world the environmental problems that the Pacific is facing,” he said.

Florence Jonduo, a journalist and program producer with EMTV in PNG said journalists had the privilege to talk to people, tell their stories and question authorities.

“I believe that media plays a vital role in awareness and we can help find solutions of issues affecting everyone by questioning the relevant authorities,” she said.

* Mereoni Mili is a final-year journalism student at The University of the South Pacific in Suva.