Araura TV manager Nick Henry says the organisation continues to change and evolve within the dynamic media landscape.
By Michelle Curran
Executive Communications Manager, PCBL/Pasifika TV
Like the changing tides, Araura TV in Aitutaki has experienced many highs and lows throughout its 30-plus year history.
As manager of the community TV and radio station in the Cook Islands paradise, Nick Henry has watched the organisation evolve during the six years he has spent at the helm.
Storytelling, however, remains a constant.
“Telling stories has always been a part of the Pacific way; telling our stories, ourselves, only strengthens our culture,” Nick says.
For over three decades, Araura TV has operated in the island community – initially run by the Government, he explains.
“However, as times got tough in the mid-nineties, government cutbacks saw funding dry up and private individuals stepped in to fund television.
“More than 20 years on, one of the original investors, my brother Mike Henry, continues to do this.”
Then in 2010, the TV and radio station was totally flattened by Cyclone Pat.
Nick recalls rescuing radio and TV equipment by lifting roofing iron off mics, cables and audio mixers, one of which continues to work (with some spare parts) today.
“The cyclone hit on the Wednesday, and by Saturday we were broadcasting FM radio across the island using a spare 50W Tx and an old yacht mast to mount our antenna.”
Nick adds Covid presented another hurdle in 2020 and forced a reset at Araura TV.
“We successfully applied for a smart-tech grant from the Cook Islands Government and developed a digital platform to broadcast from.
“Since early 2021 we have been broadcasting six channels of content in HD, 24 hours, seven days a week.”
Nick says throughout this reset, Pasifika TV and TVNZ proved to be good partners, providing technical expertise and content.
Araura TV is one of Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited’s (PCBL) 30 valued partners, who it proudly supports to create sustainable business models and take ownership of their stories, while delivering its content to Pasifika TV, screened region wide.
In recent years, Nick says the helpdesk at Pasifika TV has been a lifeline to keeping the service broadcasting.
Current key challenges for Araura TV are similar to those faced everywhere in the Pacific and include a lack of technical expertise and funding sources.
“Advertising revenues shrink as ‘free’ social media exposure takes front and centre,” Nick says.
“Partnering with Pasifika TV has helped reduce a number of those challenges and perhaps most importantly, inspired many of us to persevere.”
The TV station manager, who also happens to be the Mayor of Aitutaki and grandson of the first Premier of the Cook Islands, has high hopes more Pacific young people will consider a career in media.
“I am hoping as more young Pacific people become content creators on social media that this may translate, for a few of them at least, into a more professional approach for careers in journalism and broadcasting, to continue telling our stories.”
Araura TV is one of PCBL’s 30 valued partners, who PCBL is proudly supporting to create sustainable business models and take ownership of its stories, while delivering its content to Pasifika TV, screened region wide.