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.
Vanuatu Broadcasting & Telecommunications Corporation (VBTC) created two series titled Resilience Vanuatu Style and Covid 19 in the Villages. The former looks at the wider impact on the communities in Vanuatu, discussing the implications on the tourism industry and the wider economy. The latter is comprised of a series of vignettes focusing on the impact Covid has had on the individual.
The economy of Vanuatu relies heavily on tourism with over 25% of the nation’s GDP relating to the tourism industry. The lack of tourism dollars had a domino effect on the rest of the economy, causing a lot of small stores and shops to close, many of which were owned by women.
Moses Cakau, Senior TV Producer and Editor of both series, says the being involved in the POA programme was a challenge but was a great learning experience. “It allowed us to build our capacity as producers, editors, and most importantly, storytellers.”
Resilience Vanuatu Style and Covid 19 in the Villages are now broadcasting across the Pacific on PasifikaTV.
