Photo of the BCN team
Pasifika On Air (POA) is a funding programme for Pacific broadcasters to create and tell their own stories. Funded by Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting Limited (PCBL), it is the first initiative of its kind, empowering Pasifika broadcasters to share local stories on a global stage.
Working closely with New Zealand production house Sunpix, broadcasters across the Pacific wrote, rewrote, shot, and edited a series of stories to share with the world.
Broadcasting Corporation Niue (BCN) created a five-episode series title Resilience during Covid-19: Response in Niue as part of their involvement in the POA programme.
As suggested by the title, the series looks at the impact of Covid-19 on the small Pacific nation, as well as the community maintaining traditions such as hair cutting ceremonies in the face of the pandemic.
Being a small island nation, Niue was challenged to complete the series. Esther Pavihi, Senior Producer of the series says, “the challenges were many.”
In May 2020, the BNC studios burned down and during 2022 Niue experience increased rainfall causing the team to reschedule filming on multiple occasions.
Additionally, the team were producing the series on top of their regular daily news programming but “it was all worth it” says Pavihi.
Their hard work paid off and the series is broadcasting across the Pacific on PasifikaTV.
“As team leader, I have great respect for our small team and the lengths they will go to,” says Pavihi, “this assignment has been a good learning experience for all of us.”
Esther and the team at BCN are grateful for the opportunity to be involved in POA and said it’s a “wonderful feeling to know that work we produced is being viewed by people across the Pacific.”
The importance of the series goes beyond documenting the impact of Covid in Niue and Esther hopes that “with optimism, we will return to normal.”
