Shane Ormsby, Chief Technical Officer at PCBL, shows how the flyway disaster response system works, to visiting Pacific broadcasters at the recent Navigating the Digital Landscape conference, in Auckland.
By Michelle Curran
Executive Communications Manager, Pasifika TV/PCBL
Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL) is ensuring broadcasting continuity in the region in times of natural disaster, with the launch of a flyway disaster response system (DR REMI+).
The REMI+ kit is a part of the Emergency Response Unit for the Pacific, recently launched in collaboration with the New Zealand Defence Force and New Zealand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s (MFAT) Humanitarian team, to ensure vulnerable Pacific countries remain connected in when disaster strikes.
Shane Ormsby, Chief Technical Officer at PCBL says the mobile DR REMI+ system enables remote production, broadcast and connectivity, making it possible to restore critical local news and broadcast services in a disaster-stricken country following a natural disaster or hazard.
“It ensures local news can be produced and international queries can be managed on the ground, by a support crew of a broadcast engineer and news resource, who will be deployed along with the equipment,” Shane adds.
“The DR REMI+ system has been integrated with PCBL’s PacHub(PAcific Contribution Network), core LiveU infrastructure embedded in the region that enables the broadcast distribution of significant regional events such as the PIFS Leaders Meetings, Pacific Games, CHOGM, COP28 and FestPAC 2024, to be produced by the region and distributed across the region.
“Users of the DR REMI+ system will undergo associated disaster resilience training, which is informed by and co-designed with our Pacific broadcasters.”
Following the Hunga Tonga–Hunga Haʻapai volcanic eruption in 2022, and the 2024 earthquake in Vanuatu, PCBL received requests for support in disaster preparedness from Pacific broadcasters, and it has adhered to the call, he says.
Natasha Meleisea, Chief Executive Officer at PCBL says this approach supports regional cohesion and strengthens security.
“It ensures accurate reports and information from a trusted source can be shared with communities, regional stakeholders and partner governments in a timely manner, minimising the risk of misinformation or disinformation being spread through unauthorised channels or platforms,” she says.
“The DR REMI+ system will focus on helping the local broadcaster restore the capability of doing production of news bulletins and distribution of information in a compromised environment.”
The provision of the DR REMI+ system is part of PCBL’s next three years of work, funded by MFAT, to support regional stability through a strengthened local media that is connected, resilient, and continues to enable civicmindedness, transparency and accountability.
“Our next block of work brings together Pacific broadcasters to deepen networks, address common challenges together, and enable the distribution of quality content to allow Pacific broadcasters to deliver a 24/7 service to their audiences,” Natasha says.