From L-R: FBC’s Daniel Singh and Sitiveni Halofaki with Faiesea Matafeo (SBC-TV1 Samoa), Natasha Meleisea (PCBL), and FBC CEO Tarun Patel at the Navigating the Digital Landscape conference, at the New Zealand International Conference Centre, in Auckland.
By Michelle Curran
Executive Communications Manager, Pasifika TV/PCBL
As traditional navigators in their own islands, Pacific people have always faced challenges.
Sitiveni Halofaki, General Manager Television at Fijian Broadcasting Corporation (FBC) says there still many obstacles, but they look different these days.
Representing FBC, Sitiveni attended the recent Navigating the Digital Landscape Pacific Broadcasters CEO Conference, hosted by Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL), in Auckland.
He was joined by his colleagues, FBC CEO Tarun Patel and Daniel Singh, FBC Strategic Development at the four-day conference, focused on exploring connectivity, relevance, and solutions for the 30 Pacific broadcasters, affiliated with PCBL.
“It was timely and deeply relevant,” Sitiveni says.
The manager of the television business of FBC, Sitiveni oversees three channels, including FBC TV, FBC Sports, and FBC 2.
He has seen many changes in the recent past, the most significant being the audience shift from terrestrial broadcasting to the readily available social media platforms.
“In response, we have established new digital platforms as an additional conduit for the consumption of our news, music, and local programme content,” he explains.
“The key is to understand and carefully navigate the media landscape before us.
“As powerfully highlighted in the opening session, ‘Tools have changed, the act of navigation remains the same’.”
What stood out for Sitiveni was the conference’s focus on three powerful pillars — connectivity, relevance, and solutions.
Pacific broadcasters operate in similar political and economic environments that are tough and resource-scarce, he says.
“We share the same challenges around climate change, language, and culture, and the solutions presented — particularly the presentation by manaiago.co.nz on using readily available resources and equipment to meet local production challenges — demonstrated that small island nations can meet these challenges head-on with creativity and resourcefulness.”
There is a need to adapt to the swiftly evolving media landscape, and the work-ons stemming from the conference have already begun, Sitiveni says.
“Subtitling from English into the indigenous Fijian language is a priority, inspired by the compelling presentation by Peter Lucas Jones.
“It was fascinating to see how they have mastered the subtitling tool for their Māori language audience — an approach we are now actively exploring in collaboration for our iTaukei audience on television.”
Daniel, whose role includes encouraging strategic development across FBC, says in the past five years, the organisation has evolved from a national broadcaster to a multimedia hub in Fiji and for Pacific communities.
“We are now able to reach our diaspora globally across multiple platforms through strategic innovations within the organisation…providing content on Am radio, FM radio, streaming radio, terrestrial TV, streaming TV, OTT, apps and various social media platforms,” he says.
Daniel says the PCBL conference has been an excellent opportunity to continue building and strengthening collaborative relationships across the Pacific, and that includes assisting the Pacific island broadcasters to navigate through their digital challenges.
“At FBC, we have developed our own digital solutions and therefore can now assist the other broadcasters in the Pacific to achieve the same,” he says.
“Balancing transformation whilst maintaining tradition is a key to ensuring compelling content within the region.”
The survival of Pacific broadcasting is based on hope, he adds.
“While Pacific broadcasters learn from other experiences, we continue to strive for excellence within our means.
“We develop solutions and content based on our traditional values.”
Established in 2015, PCBL is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) with the overall aim to build stronger relationships in the Pacific region by supporting the media sector, through training, mentoring, promoting sustainability, and story sovereignty.