cija emails

editorial comment | seeking response

2007-12-06T18:37:00.000-08:00

kia orana, warm pacific greetings,

I am assuming that editorial comment is welcome at PINA in response to issues raised by executive statements.

Any response from PINA will be published here in full, on its own page, with permanent front page links for future audiences - on any PINA statement.

Also, I would like to follow up earlier emails about membership in PINA.

Meitaki ma'ata,

jason

...........................................................

jason brown
editor
avaiki news agency
http://avaiki.nius.googlepages.com

+649 9167058 office direct
+649 9167552 facsimile
+64 2102484560 mobile

Project JPK

http://jpkupdate.blogspot.com
100 victoria street west
tangata pasifika
TVNZ
auckland
aotearoa | new zealand

...........................................................

head-slap astonishing: fusimalohi forever!

NEWS COMMENT

by jason brown, editor , avaiki nius agency

DEATH STAR
NEWS - OR PR?
FUSIMALOHI FOREVER
HEAD SLAP
FALSE POSITIVES
CREDIBILITY BLEED
WHAT NEXT?

As is common across the world, death brings forgiveness.

Pacific Islands are no different, nor, apparently, are regional media.

Famous for spicy, free-for-all debates across the defamation spectrum, Pacific Islands journalists roll over like roti, soggy and oily ones, when there is a death in the media family.

DEATH STAR

Such was the early evidence this week, with plaudits piling in for one-time broadcasting chief and latter-day reform convert, Tavake Fusimalohi.

For most of his long career, Fusimalohi was rabidly apologist for the ruling monarchy in the Kingdom of Tonga. Many memories of him at regional media bashes are closer to Death Star than Media Star. Even so, journalists like long-time trainer Peter Lomas wrote a glowing letter, rather than a fair and balanced report about the Tongan tyro.

So, is it important for islands media to maintain cool distance - palagi style, perhaps - assessing the legacy of those who pass on in the Pacific Islands?

NEWS - OR PR?

Anything less suggests public relations, not news. That was the stance taken earlier this year by online news agency Matangi Tonga.

They rejected a story about Fusimalohi supposedly gaining a regional media award, the Pacific Islands News Association's Freedom of Information Award.

Not news they said. And it wasn't - not accurate news anyway. PINA flip-flopped a couple of times, finally settling on the explanation that the award given to Fusimalohi was from the Media Association of Solomon Islands. Not the PINA award.

FUSIMALOHI FOREVER

All this might be less newsworthy if it were not for PINA now marking Fusimalohi's death by renaming the award.

Showing even less concern for due process, PINA executives have allegedly renamed the FOI award as the Tavakae Fusimalohi Award.

Forever. Apparently. With no future reference to either freedom or information.

HEAD SLAP

Head-slapping silliness. Yes, Fusimalohi was arrested by Tongan authorities for sedition and criminal defamation.

Yes, Fusimalohi has been lauded by much bigger news sources than this agency, witness a glowing tribute from the Fiji Times with quotes about a "fearless crusading journalist."

But bigness is no guarantee of success - witness the sorry state of PINA itself. Also far from clear is whether Fusimalohi really was challenging the status quo, or trying a variation of long-standing attempts to drag independent news media into controversy and disrepute.

FALSE POSITIVES

Interesting to note, then, that in Fusimalohi's homeland, Matangi Tonga appears to stand by its earlier stance, reporting the death of Fusimalohi in four, short sentences. Not the complete picture, either, but at least it's not a falsely positive picture.

Let us spell this out: PINA is ignoring existing controversy over lack of proper due process in seeking nominations and selecting a Freedom of Information award winner.

Changing the name only adds insult to injury.

CREDIBILITY BLEED

None of this celebrates Fusimalohi or leaves much room for discussion about any good parts of his legacy. If anything, it merely adds to the "embarrassment" already alluded to by Matangi Tonga.

More importantly, statements by the new PINA executive assume a mandate they do not have. The FOI is part of a proud tradition stretching back three decades to recognise media who sacrificed plenty in their outspoken support of freedoms of information.

By contrast, Fusimalohi sacrificed little and gained much from his time in the media world. PINA disrespects earlier award winners by lavishing him with this incredible honour.

WHAT NEXT?

This agency will forward this editorial for comment from PINA. Earlier emails have been ignored so far.

We have established a month-long poll to see whether regional media agree with the new name for the PINA award. Finally, the agency will suggest ways for PINA to be more transparent, accountable and consultative with the industry.

Also news this week: PINA partnering with the Forum Secretariat. Hopefully, a sign that good governance is as important in the media as anywhere else.

Globall survey on Value-Based Journalism

2007-11-30T04:14:00.000-08:00

Secretary General
CIJA

Dear Sir,
Greetings.

Sub: Value-based Journalism: A Global Survey of the Perceptions of
Newspaper Journalists

As part of my international community services, I am conducting the
above globalsurvey. The objective of this survey is to examine the
perceptions ofnewspaper journalists on the issue of value-based
journalism intoday's globalization, i.e. which important values guide
them intheir reporting on news, views and analysis? The study
intends togenerate more public awareness and interest on the topic. The
topic ofthe survey is very current and newsworthy.

I have designed a questionnaire to collect data and opinions from the
journalists. The study is purely for academic purposes and the
information collected will be treated strictly confidential.

I seek your members kind co-operation in the completion of this study.
I am receiving some good response from various Journalists Association
and a few newpapers in this regard. May I request you to please forward
this email and questionnaire among your members for their active
particiaption.
Questionnaire can also be downloaded from the following :
www.acadjoshi.com (click left down of photo)

I am sorry for taking your precious time as you are a buzy person.
Nevertheless, your dropping two lines will greatly help me. I really
seek your kind cooperation in this regard. I want the completed
questionnaire before Dec 25, 2007.

Kind regards.

Dr P L Joshi, Professor,
University of Bahrain, Box 32038 Bahrain
Editor : IJAAPE, UK
Managing Editor: AAJFA, UK
Fellow (Academic) of AIA, UK
Box 32038, Bahrain
www.acadjoshi.com

Tel 00973 17 643701
Fax: 00973 17 449776
-----------------------------------------

PS: Recently, South Asia Journalists Association in its conference
calls for applying Value-based journalism. However, there is hardly
any empirical survey conducted in this area. This has motivated me to
undertake this survey.

Invitation to view avaiki's Picasa Web Album - nz herald posters

2007-11-12T19:01:00.001-08:00

You are invited to view avaiki's photo album: nz herald posters

nz herald posters

newstand somewhere in auckland, around 2am -

12 Nov 2007
by avaiki

gagged - threats to your rights

View Album
Play slideshow

Message from avaiki:

RELEASE PREVIEW: agency releases altered image of newspaper poster, monday 12th november 2007 edition of the new zealand herald, titled: gagged, your rights under threat. For free, open use under fair use conditions, including all artistic treatments. jason brown, editor, avaiki nius agency. thin-slice analysis to follow.

If you are having problems viewing this email, copy and paste the following into your browser:
http://picasaweb.google.com/avaiki.nius/NzHeraldPosters02

To share your photos or receive notification when your friends share photos, get your own free Picasa Web Albums account.

pacific islands radio - thumbs up

2007-11-10T10:37:00.001-08:00

PRESS RELEASE

from: jason brown, editor, avaiki nius agency

pacific islands radio - thumbs up from ausaid

Australia looks like boosting aid spend on media in the pacific islands, starting where it probably should - public radio - as the region's oldest news media.

Short version?

"Public service broadcasting in the Pacific Islands has the thumbs up from Australia."

NOT SHY

Jason Brown, Editor of Avaiki Nius Agency is not shy claiming credit for this policy update.

"Well, not all of it," he says.

"Just a little bit."

QUOTE

His submission to the Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade in the Parliament of Australia "strongly suggests" placing the donor bull's eye on independent news media.

"This submission addresses these areas from information perspectives. It strongly suggests aid donor recognition of the centrality of news media especially public broadcasters within information contributions towards achieving sustained – and sustainable – progress ... "

Quote from Jason Brown, Editor, Avaiki News Agency, submission to Inquiry into Australia's aid program in the Pacific, June 2006, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade.

LEADING CONCERN

Public radio stations have suffered decades of generally benign neglect since colonial days, leading to a softening of core emergency services, as an example of one leading concern.

Some remote atolls have state-of-the-art satellite links including FM - both highly vulnerable to exponential increases in extreme weather events.

"I was awestruck in Manihiki 2007 - probably ten years ago to this day - or so - when Cyclone Martin left a cylcone-proof Telecom building as nothing more than a clean concrete pad.

RIPPED OUT

"Even the reinforcing rods had been ripped out by sheer tonnage of wave surge."

Twenty people were killed or lost at sea as a massive surge from the cyclone swept through the atoll. Eyewitness estimates as high as 50 metres , slicing buildings in half so cleanly books were left on a shelf next to half a doorway.

"There was no parliamentary commission of inquiry, royal or otherwise."

FIGURES

From that extreme weather event, to the joint committee on foreign affairs.

Applied search across the entire report reveals a "huge gap" between radio and web access to policy input.

Figures as follows, with hits listed first.

HITS

5 Searching for "Radio" returns five references in the report.

5 Same for "telecommunications" - five hits.

1 "Television" returns one hit.

0 "Internet" none.

0 "Newspapers" none.

0 "Press" none.

0 "Public relations"

19 "Press release" + "press statements" + "media release" nineteen hits.

103 "Web" brings 103 links.

18 hits for "media" , not media releases.

PRIORITY

The agency supports AM signal as being priority number one for any donors wanting to bolster badly neglected resources for good governance information. AM signal should be strong enough for handheld radio across millions of square kilometres of Pacific ocean, radios that can be easily wrapped in watertight containers.

"All telecommunications, internet, television, FM radio, phone, fax, telex, and other links like air and sea are no good if the airport is covered in coconut trees, the atoll's satellite is floating in the lagoon, and the wharf is full of coral."

Strong AM signal increases opportunity for access by remote communities to emergency information when they most need it, more than any other media.

FURTHER INFORMATION

avaiki nius agency submission
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/pacificaid/subs/sub13.pdf

pdf for whole report (6.51 megabytes or maybe 20 minutes at atoll dialup speed)
http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/pacificaid/report/fullreport.pdf

chapter links

http://www.aph.gov.au/house/committee/jfadt/pacificaid/report.htm#chapters

news releases
Tuesday 6 February 2007
Australia's aid program in the Pacific (PDF 31KB)

Monday 27 November 2006
Australia's aid program in the Pacific (PDF 34KB)

Thursday 26 October 2006
Australia's aid program in the Pacific (PDF 31KB)

Tuesday 4 July 2006
Australia's aid program in the Pacific under parliamentary review (PDF 40KB)

Friday 7 April 2006
Australia's aid program in the Pacific under parliamentary review (PDF 40KB)

MEDIA RESOURCES

oz,kiwi aid "static" say funding partners

www.poverty.com

VOTE HERE

Vote your own way. See feeds on front page. Or comment right at us:

http://www.avaiki.blogspot.com

Start digging. Vote for this story here:

www.digg.com

Google direct. No comments, but anonymous:

http://www.google.co.nz/addurl/?continue=/addurl

NO MORE, THANKS

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FULL CONTACTS

jason brown
editor
avaiki news agency
http://avaiki.nius.googlepages.com

+649 9167058 office direct
+649 9167552 facsimile
+64 2102484560 mobile

Project JPK

http://jpkupdate.blogspot.com
100 victoria street west
tangata pasifika
TVNZ
auckland
aotearoa | new zealand

...........................................................

link suggestion - blog banned by Google

2006-12-16T13:11:00.000-08:00

Hi. My name is Eugene Gershin. Perhaps we have met online, but more probably you don't know me from Adam. I monitor blogs for SamsonBlinded, and came across your post.

I'd like to welcome you to look at Obadiah Shoher's blog. Obadiah - an anonymous Israeli politician - writes extremely controversial articles about Israel, the Middle East politics, and terrorism.
Shoher is equally critical of Jewish and Muslim myths, and advocates political rationalism instead of moralizing.
Google banned our site from the AdWords, Yahoo blocked most pages, and Amazon deleted all reviews of Obadiah's book, Samson Blinded: A Machiavellian Perspective on the Middle East Conflict.
Nevertheless, 170,000 people from 78 countries read the book.

Various Internet providers ban us periodically, but you can look up the site on search engines. The mirror www.terrorism-in-israel.org/blog currently works.

Please help us spread Obadiah's message, and mention the blog in one of your posts, or link to us from cija-emails.blogspot.com. I would greatly appreciate your comments.

Best wishes,
Eugene Gershin

media release | news agency exposes media candidate

2006-09-25T21:38:00.000-07:00

Monday 25 September 2006 <dateline> Tuesday, 26 September 2006

MEDIA RELEASE | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

News agency exposes media candidate

Quote: "We are drawing a line in the sand."

Avaiki News Agency editor Jason Brown is warning voters in the Cook Islands against supporting media competitor George Pitt in his bid to become a member of parliament.

Brown has published claims of sexual impropriety against Pitt ahead of tomorrow's snap elections.

The claims involve Pitt taking photos of young girls in wraparound pareu and pearls, some of them underage. Brown published the claims on his agency website www.avaiki.blogspot.com.

"These allegations are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to corruption in the Cook Island," states Brown.

"There are huge issues facing countries like the Cook Islands, including ones with the potential to make the region unliveable from global warming effects such as rapidly increasing numbers of hurricanes."

"Global leaders like Al Gore warn us we have less than 10 years to try and reverse the effects of global warming, otherwise known as climate change."

Instead of examining the big issues, however, Brown says countries like the Cook Islands are being dragged down by corruption.

"Forget ethnic tensions that foreign so-called experts keep going on about. The real problem facing the region is corruption, much of it fuelled by foreign exploiters who could not care less about the sensitive environments in isolated island nations."

Brown admits it is unusual for any news agency claiming independence to warn voters against a particular candidate or party.

"It is however the media's professional duty to warn the public when there is a clear and present danger to the country, and no one represents that in tomorrow's election better than Cook Islands Party candidate George Pitt."

He denies claims from Pitt that there is a "media war" or that he is jealous of Pitt's success.

"Pitt is on public record as saying ethics do not make him any money. Instead of distancing themselves from him, however, politicians from all sides have sought, at various times, to placate Pitt with corrupt deals. Pitt is not to be envied his 'success' when it was achieved with behind the scenes deals. He has since used his media influence to undermine and sabotage any institution that tries to do its job – especially the media."

In the absence of strong institutions, Brown says it is the role of the media to step in and express strong opinions.

"If the Cook Islands had a robust justice system then there would be no need for this agency to take the stance it has. Others would be doing their job properly, so we can stick to doing ours – reporting."

Brown says that Australia and New Zealand must share the blame for corruption in the Pacific Islands.

"Both countries are failing and failing miserably at promoting good governance in the Pacific. Hundreds of millions of dollars get funnelled through a small elite, very little of it ending up benefiting ordinary Pacific Islanders."

"Australia and New Zealand can't even look after Pacific Islanders properly in their own countries, let alone the rest of the region. Both countries should try harder at cleaning up their own backyards instead of trying to star on the world stage."

Brown accuses Australia and New Zealand of funding all sorts of governance efforts except those that perform best – such as the media.

"The question that must be asked is why? Why do Australia and New Zealand not want a strong and confident island media? Is it so they can have a bunch of weakly ruled banana republics to push around on the world stage? Were they hoping to push through trade deals first and ask questions later?"

Brown says the end result is a media too weak to properly inform citizens about what is going on in their own countries – investigating multiple power abuses and conflicts of interest of the powerful, almost all men.

"As a small agency, we may not have a lot of resources but we are drawing a line in the sand right here and now and we formally challenge anyone – people like George Pitt especially – to try and cross it."

Brown also admits that he does have an "agenda" – "and that is to promote the need for a strong, confident and independent media as being not just vital but absolute frontline to fighting corruption and achieving sustainable development goals. Brown says the agency stands on its record as being a strong advocate for reform, including being one of the few and sometimes the only person to respond to calls for public submission to governance processes.

"Instead of being among the first in line for national and donor funding, however, the media often comes last, if anywhere. Avaiki News Agency is happy to discuss possible media responses to corruption with anyone."

He says having Pitt as a media owner as well as a politician is a potentially disastrous conflict of interest, one of many inside the industry across the region. Brown says the agency began targeting the media industry as a first priority for reform and good governance efforts as far back as 2004.

< ends

FURTHER INFORMATION

Jason Brown

Editor

Avaiki News Agency

new number +(64) 210447497 (dial 0210447497 inside New Zealand)

avaiki.nius@gmail.com

www.avaiki.blogspot.com

Re: [Reminder] journalists meeting @ Mon, Jun 26 12pm - 1pm (1 hr)

2006-07-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

Kia orana Charles,

Apologies for not responding earlier. Some urgent deadlines to attend to! I am at Mama's Cafe writing this (before heading down to Telecom to send it) and note your concerns. My own feeling regards the meeting venue is that we are journalists who ask other people to be transparent and accountable in their dealings - so why shouldn't we hold our meetings in the open? Do we really have anything to hide? If we're critical of our bosses, so what? I am the boss of myself, and I have got plenty to criticise!

However, I am just one person, and maybe that is an ideal situation we can work up to. Maybe there is an agreed press release we could put out each week. In the meantime, perhaps in terms of confidentiality, we should be looking for somewhere other than a cafe. What about the conference room at the Ministry of Culture? If we held the meeting at 11am then people could still get away for lunch.

It's great that George and Jeane are in support of this idea. We've all had our disagreements in the past, but I think we can work in good faith towards an industry group that represents the common interests of the industry and addresses some of its common issues.

The old media association (not CIJA) has about $1,500 sitting in an ANZ account. I have the withdrawal permission from Alex (one signatory) and Porora is the other. Perhaps if we got permission from the members of CIMA to use the funds from CIMA to re-establish CIJA (since journalists end up doing most of the NGO work anyway) with the understanding that we can help CIMA re-establish if there is any desire for that in the future.

All good,

jason

----- Original Message -----

From: Charles Pitt

To: avaiki nius

Sent: Wednesday, June 28, 2006 11:09 PM

Subject: Re: [Reminder] journalists meeting @ Mon, Jun 26 12pm - 1pm (1 hr)

Hello Jason-I'm still not keen on meeting at Mamas because it's too open and not conducive to open conversations. Too many other people can simply listen to what we are discussing.There are confidential matters we may want to raise-inhouse stuff. My feeling is we find somewhere more private. As to setting up the association this should be done quickly. I'm prepared to pay a membership fee so we can at least establish a bank account.Regards Charles Pitt. PS Both George and Jeane are agreeable that I should be involved with the group.

Journalists' meeting

2006-06-19T14:10:00.000-07:00

Gidday Jason,
I will again be a no show at your meeting today I'm sorry.
I've got a dentists' appointment, my cat got run over, I smashed my
truck and I have a bad stomach ache and we are discouraged from having
lunch breaks at the Pitt Media Group. None of that, apart from the last
one is true, but I'm not going to be a Cook Islands journalist for much
longer. Today I resigned from the Pitt Media Group. I have given them a
month's notice and we're off to NZ in late July. I got offered a very
good job on a newspaper which involves working from home - five weeks
annual leave plus stats, two weeks' accumulative sickpay a year, a
laptop and a cellphone - beats the crap out of beating my head against
the wall at PMG.
I'm really sad about having to leave because we really love this country
despite the numerous frustrations. We've applied for PR etc and we would
like to return some day. The problem is we're going backwards
financially and the cost of living here is getting horrendous.
I'll catch up with you for a coffee one day very soon. Give me a call.
Chairs,
Cam

Re: nzaid incountry training application | 20060530 journalism training.doc (amended)

2006-06-18T17:37:00.000-07:00

Kia orana,

Could you please withdraw my application on behalf of CIJA for funding under the above programme. Some of my colleagues think I have an agenda and say I am trying to make money off my association with CIJA. This obviously needs to discussed fully before the application proceeds any further. If and when it does it will come from the executive and not from me.

As we are hopefully meeting by noon tomorrow (Monday) I would appreciate an acknowledgement of this and earlier correspondence so that my colleagues can be sure I am being transparent and accountable.

Apologies for any inconvenience. My second application under the email-2-web proposal remains.

Meitaki maata,

jason

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

----- Original Message -----

From: avaiki

To: nathrd@oyster.net.ck

Cc: citrades@oyster.net.ck

Sent: Wednesday, May 31, 2006 12:17 AM

Subject: nzaid incountry training application | 20060530 journalism training.doc (amended)

Proposal amended to include two more trainers as follows, and as attached.

30 hours preparation including further development of this proposal, 40 hours of training and 10 hours follow up assistance and development of next phase training with journalists and media stakeholders, with at least three in-country trainers involved.

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

----- Original Message -----

From: avaiki

To: nathrd@oyster.net.ck

Cc: citrades@oyster.net.ck

Sent: Tuesday, May 30, 2006 11:37 PM

Subject: nzaid incountry training application | 20060530 journalism training.doc

Mii Rairi

Deparment of National Human Resources Development

Harry Ivaiti

Cook Islands Trade Training Centre

Kia orana,

Please find attached an application on behalf of the Cook Islands Journalists Association (in reformation) as per your advertisements for NZAID Funding for in-country training.

This is in response to long-standing calls for training in basic journalism skills and a need to access simple ICT tools that anyone with email can use.

As attached, two groups are targeted with this training application - journalists themselves, and, those supplying information to journalists, such as information officials, public relations people and NGO media officers.

In the interests of transparency between CIJA members and the public, this application will also be published on the CIJA weblog site.

Meitaki maata,

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu

avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu

+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

Re: > no show at weekly meeting

2006-06-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Greetings Jason- I intend to come to a meeting. I feel that Mama's cafe gets too crowded at lunch time.Other people can listen in on what we say.Not conducive to robust discvussion. Can we consider another venue a little less crowded, like Mac's Cafe? Regards Charles

----- Original Message -----

From: cija-email

To: cija

Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 4:25 PM

Subject: > no show at weekly meeting

MEETINGS

Not one single journalist - apart from Jason Brown - made it to today's meeting.

However three emails were received, as follows:

Jason, Kia Orana,
Sorry I didn't get your message in time to be able to go to the meeting. At the moment I'd prefer not to be involved, but that may change later.
Cheers,

(name given)

Sorry Jason but I have another engagement. I don't think anyone else from here will be attending. There is a feeling in my team that your own agenda is over-riding the general training need. Please don't take offence at this. I suggest you and I meet in the next fews days for a quiet chat about it.

Kind regards,

(name given)

Sorry darling
Will be at my law exams
Cheers,
(name given)

Anyone who wants to put make comment can autopublish to the email blog by replying to this email, from which all further communications will be sent.

Re: > no show at weekly meeting

2006-06-14T11:51:00.000-07:00

now I luv u again!! ps remind me again

meitaki - bob

----- Original Message -----

From: cija-email

To: Govmedia

Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 3:45 PM

Subject: Re: > no show at weekly meeting

sorry bob, only just got you on the list - my mistake - see you next monday?

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

----- Original Message -----
From: Govmedia

To: cija-email

Sent: Tuesday, June 13, 2006 9:23 AM

Subject: Re: > no show at weekly meeting

popongi

why did I not get an invite!

may hv to sack u soon

Bobby

----- Original Message -----

From: cija-email

To: cija

Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 4:25 PM

Subject: > no show at weekly meeting

MEETINGS

Not one single journalist - apart from Jason Brown - made it to today's meeting.

However three emails were received, as follows:

Jason, Kia Orana,
Sorry I didn't get your message in time to be able to go to the meeting. At the moment I'd prefer not to be involved, but that may change later.
Cheers,

(name given)

Sorry Jason but I have another engagement. I don't think anyone else from here will be attending. There is a feeling in my team that your own agenda is over-riding the general training need. Please don't take offence at this. I suggest you and I meet in the next fews days for a quiet chat about it.

Kind regards,

(name given)

Sorry darling
Will be at my law exams
Cheers,
(name given)

Anyone who wants to put make comment can autopublish to the email blog by replying to this email, from which all further communications will be sent.

Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.1/310 - Release Date: 12/04/2006

Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.1/310 - Release Date: 12/04/2006

Re: [#524827] Non-spam review and verification request: http://cook-islands-journalists-association.blogspot.com

2006-06-13T17:16:00.000-07:00

Hello,

Your blog has been reviewed, verified, and cleared for regular use so that
it will no longer appear as potential spam. If you sign out of Blogger and
sign back in again, you should be able to post as normal. Thanks for your
patience, and we apologize for any inconvenience this has caused.

Sincerely,
The Blogger Team

Re: > no show at weekly meeting

2006-06-13T12:27:00.000-07:00

popongi

why did I not get an invite!

may hv to sack u soon

Bobby

----- Original Message -----

From: cija-email

To: cija

Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 4:25 PM

Subject: > no show at weekly meeting

MEETINGS

Not one single journalist - apart from Jason Brown - made it to today's meeting.

However three emails were received, as follows:

Jason, Kia Orana,
Sorry I didn't get your message in time to be able to go to the meeting. At the moment I'd prefer not to be involved, but that may change later.
Cheers,

(name given)

Sorry Jason but I have another engagement. I don't think anyone else from here will be attending. There is a feeling in my team that your own agenda is over-riding the general training need. Please don't take offence at this. I suggest you and I meet in the next fews days for a quiet chat about it.

Kind regards,

(name given)

Sorry darling
Will be at my law exams
Cheers,
(name given)

Anyone who wants to put make comment can autopublish to the email blog by replying to this email, from which all further communications will be sent.

Internal Virus Database is out-of-date.
Checked by AVG Free Edition.
Version: 7.1.385 / Virus Database: 268.4.1/310 - Release Date: 12/04/2006

Re: > no show at weekly meeting

2006-06-12T19:40:00.000-07:00

jason we are not online all the time. I only read your email now.

----- Original Message -----

From: cija-email

To: cija

Sent: Monday, June 12, 2006 4:25 PM

Subject: > no show at weekly meeting

MEETINGS

Not one single journalist - apart from Jason Brown - made it to today's meeting.

However three emails were received, as follows:

Jason, Kia Orana,
Sorry I didn't get your message in time to be able to go to the meeting. At the moment I'd prefer not to be involved, but that may change later.
Cheers,

(name given)

Sorry Jason but I have another engagement. I don't think anyone else from here will be attending. There is a feeling in my team that your own agenda is over-riding the general training need. Please don't take offence at this. I suggest you and I meet in the next fews days for a quiet chat about it.

Kind regards,

(name given)

Sorry darling
Will be at my law exams
Cheers,
(name given)

Anyone who wants to make comment can autopublish to the email blog by replying to this email, from which all further communications will be sent.

why I'm shy

2006-06-12T19:30:00.000-07:00

PERSONAL STATEMENT | by Jason Brown

There seems to be some concerns that I am involved in CIJA to "make money for Jason Brown."
One person at the meeting two weeks also raised the concern that it was important to avoid the appearance that CIJA was for my own "agenda" rather than concentrating on training.
This is a bit confusing: the one person who said this is the same person who, at our first meeting, told me not to start weekly training sessions because "let's not rush into things."
First, let me answer those questions transparently and acccountably.
Yes, I do have an agenda.
Yes, I do want to make money from my involvement with CIJA.
First, my agenda.
My agenda is to get CIJA going again so that we can discuss issues facing the industry including, as I have said several times already, training.
Secondly, making money.
Everyone in the industry is currently drawing a regular salary, except me.
No one else seems to be doing anything to get CIJA (and training) going again, except me.
Training, professional and industry development does not happen by magic. It takes a lot of time and effort.
Not just hours, or days, but weeks and months. I have a lot of ideas to help develop the industry and professionalism but I cannot do it for free because I have to eat and pay rent! And why shouldn't we get funding for industry development? Not just me, but as many of us as possible. Let's grow the pie that we have, instead of fighting over crumbs that are left over.
To make a pie, however, you have to start somewhere. And if one thing has been proven over the last 10 years it is that everyone in the daily and weekly media is too busy to do anything about industry development on a sustainable basis. So let me come right out and say it: support me in my endeavours to develop CIJA and develop the industry. There is tens of thousands - hundreds of thousands of dollars - in aid and other funding available. But nothing will happen if we split up after one meeting and won't talk with each other!
Someone also suggested that we have a "quiet chat" about CIJA. I don't like quiet chats. Too many people in too many countries suffer from the effects of too many quiet chats. Even people who are not hiding anything can get caught up in unintentional complications when they rely on quiet chats. I know I have. I think we as journalists and as potential members of CIJA have an opportunity to provide information leadership and conduct our affairs transparently and accountably. Not once a year. Or even once a month. But all the time, in real-time.
Like, right here and now, like, in this email.
But for CIJA to be a success we need to take ourselves seriously and not be satisfied with crumbs from the table. We need to think bigger, and imagine wider horizons. All over the world, there are aid donors crying out for good projects to promote good governance. We could be setting an industry example, and providing leadership for the whole region.
To do that, we need to follow the example set by the Chamber of Commerce and appoint someone to do secretariat work full-time. To get funding for something like that, we need to begin accessing aid funding. To do that, we need someone to write the applications. To do that, someone needs to make some money from training and other proposals so that person can survive. You need money.
So do I!
In doing it this way, through CIJA, my colleagues retain control. If, for example, I don't spread the benefits, and keep everything for myself, then you can vote me off whatever position I have, or sack me for nonperformance. But at least the applications will have been written, projects approved and funding accessed.
Or, we can forget the whole thing, and I can go off and do it for myself. But before I do let me also make it clear that it was members of the industry that asked me to "do something" about getting a journalists association up and running.
After some months - years - of not feeling confident enough because of earlier failures, I finally responded to these repeated requests last month. This followed a trip I was given to the Pacific Women's Bureau at SPC in Noumea opened my eyes to regional realities and gave me a much better idea of what's possible and what's not. It also gave me valuable perspective on my work for the AusAID-funded Pacific Media and Communication Facility as country researcher for the Cook Islands. Researching the country chapter was mind bendingly difficult, but the finished product is now giving me me hugely valuable insights into why our media is the way it is. Download the report. Read it for yourself. Read what our colleagues have to say. Read the suggestions for industry development. Then let me do my best to put your ideas into action. Now that I am finally ready, however, some of my colleagues seem to be having second thoughts.
It's understandable.
Anything new can be cause for doubt. What's important is that we keep meeting to discuss those doubts.
Just not showing up for meetings is not an option.
It's not only unprofessional, it makes me feel shy sitting at Mama's Cafe all on my own.

> CIJA (in reformation) meets every Monday at 12 noon. There is a suggestion to change the meeting to 11am to avoid the lunch rush.

Re: meeting 9.30am registrar

2006-06-11T16:04:00.000-07:00

please join me up if possible and hopefully CIJA will keep going and join PINA...

onwards, lisa

avaiki <editor@avaiki.nu> wrote:

kia orana all,

just to let you know that I am meeting 9.30am tomorrow morning with Nooapii Tearea to ask him about the legal status of the Cook Islands Journalists Assocation.

Anyone interested welcome to attend.

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

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[cija] 6/10/2006 12:50:37 PM

2006-06-10T15:50:00.000-07:00

Greetings to all of you from the Canadian branch of the Commonwealth Journalists Association.
We support your efforts to re-create your association and will be monitoring your progress from afar! If we can offer any help, please ask.
Regards from your friends in Canada.
Chris Cobb,
President
CJA Canada
Ottawa
June 10, 2006

--
Posted by chris cobb to cija at 6/10/2006 12:50:37 PM

an inconvenient truth

2006-06-08T23:30:00.000-07:00

Kia orana all,

Just wanting to get in contact to propose a special showing of An Inconvenient Truth in partnership with the Cook Islands Journalists Association.

With your agreement it would be good to have an awareness raising evening about global warming. There is a film of Al Gore's slide presentation that is already available on the internet - let me know if the service is interested in working together on this most important topic.

Meitaki maata,

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

unesco funding application invitation

2006-06-08T18:43:00.000-07:00

Hi Jason,

I'm very pleased to see the reformation of CIJA. I would encourage CIJA to apply for a UNESCO IPDC grant (information and application form attached).

Cheers,
Abel

The IPDC application form is available for download.

Guidelines for submitting IPDC proposals are available.

Please do not submit equipment shopping lists. These will be immediately rejected by the Apia Office.

Please also be aware of the separate IPDC - UNESCO Rural Communication Prize. The prize was established to promote awareness of the role that rural communication plays in the development process. It consists of US$20,000 and a diploma. If you believe your organization satisfies the criteria, please apply.

Please take the time to extensively review the broad scope of the general IPDC grant and Rural Prize and don't hesitate to contact me with further questions.

Talofa from JAWS

2006-06-05T19:13:00.000-07:00

Talofa Jason,

On behalf of the JAWS Executive I would like to extend a warm welcome back to you colleagues from Cook Islands. Glad to hear that the association is in reformation.

Looking forward to a strong partnership in the future. Please forward all future correspondence to this e-mail, hopefully there will be a lot :)

Faafetai

Cherelle Savaliolefilemu Jackson

Secretary

JAWS, Journalists Association of (Western) Samoa

www.jawsamoa.blogspot.com

cija | meeting with justice

2006-06-05T19:11:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

1.0 Details of meeting between Jason Brown and Registrar Nooapii Tearea. He says that he has no objection in principle to the idea of reformation of CIJA.

1.1 He suggests we look into the following:

1.2 Checking with the Incorporated Societies Act down at Parliament to check for financial reporting and other requirements.

1.3 Check with original members over their wishes for the association.

1.4 See if they still want to be members.

1.5 Inform them that there will be an AGM to reform CIJA.

1.6 Call AGM.

1.7 Under our constitution there is a 21 day notice period for calling an annual general meeting.

1.8 I also briefly discussed CIJA with Marie Haupini as Registrar of Incorporated Societies. She said there are no fees to be paid but that we would have to bring our financial accounts up to date.

Towards these goals, and for discussion at our next meeting on Monday 12th June 2006 I propose:

2.0 That we seek permission from founding members of CIMA to use the funds in the CIMA account to help us in the reformation of CIJA including:

2.1 Paying an accountant to bring our accounts up to date.

2.2 Pay any filing or other fees at Justice.

2.3 Join CIANGO =$NZ100

2.4 Join PINA = ? email inquiry sent

2.5 Any other purposes approved by the working committee.

2.6 Please note that while I have an email from Alex Sword authorising withdrawal of funds from the CIMA account I have not yet been able to contact Porora Wichman at Te Ura Studios who is the other signatory.

3. That we give notice for calling of an AGM by asking the two main media groups to carry classified ads to that effect.

You can see all email correspondence from now on at

http://cija-emails.blogspot.com and the main weblog at

http://cook-islands-journalists-association.blogspot.com

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

pina | membership fees inquiry

2006-06-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

kia orana seini,

just a quick email to inquiry as to what the membership fees are for a national association.

Also a request for your webmaster / mistress to put a link to our new site on your site.

http://cook-islands-journalists-association.blogspot.com

meitaki maata,

jason brown
editor@avaiki.nu
avaiki news agency
www.avaiki.nu
+682 23485
avaiki | cook islands

welcome to cija emails!

2006-06-05T18:19:00.000-07:00

Welcome to CIJA emails, part of an emerging trend towards blognets see google link.
In our case, members of a working committee for the reformation of the Cook Islands Journalism Association has approved the establishment of a weblog presence.
Part of that approval is in a policy of total transparency, where all email is auto-published to the web where anyone can read them.
Rather than clutter up the homepage of our main weblog with correspondence, however, the weblog administrator decided to set up a separate blog.
As the name suggests, CIJA emails will contain nothing but emails.
We look forward to lots of fawning, congratulatory emails and millions of dollars in assistance from stunned donors.
Seriously, though, the approach taken here towards a multiblog or blognet sees CIJA splits its blog presence between correspondence types.
This contrasts with our friends and colleagues over in Samoa where their blognet is split by subject e.g. code of ethics and executive members.
Both approaches have their advantages and we look forward to comparing notes in the near future.
So get involved.
Get commenting.
Especially those of you sitting on full time internet connections.
You can leave a comment at the bottom of each post.
Or you can email your comments to our cija email address so they appear as a separate webpage on this weblog.