The Monitor: 20 July 1999
MEDIA: PACIFIC WEB TRAINING EXPANDS
The University of the South Pacific's journalism coordinator believes the influence of online media in the region is significant. In particular, he points to the Sandline mercenary crisis in Papua New Guinea and the recent election in Fiji as defining moments of the region's online media.
By ANTHONY MASON in Canberra
PACIFIC WEB EXPANDING
FOR JOURNALISM students at the University of the South Pacific based in Fiji, the value of online news was demonstrated during a June bomb scare.
According to senior lecturer and coordinator of the Journalism Program, David Robie, the students reacted quickly and uploaded the news about the incident onto their website, Pacific Journalism Online, as the story was breaking.
"As a result, the mainstream news media picked up the story about the hoax the next day," said Robie.
Robie, who has 20 years experience as a journalist in the Pacific, believes the influence of online media in the region is significant.
He made the comments during a visit to the University of Canberra for a seminar, Cyberspace media and the Pacific's political frontier.
In particular, Robie pointed to the Sandline mercenary crisis in Papua New Guinea and the recent election in Fiji as defining moments for online media.
"In 1997, the websites of both daily newspapers in PNG came of age, underscoring the value of content on the Internet," said Robie.
And in Fiji, the Fijilive site, which is supported by three separate media organisations, proved a crucial source of information about the recent election.
"The site posted the first website election coverage, well ahead of the Fiji government's official site," said Robie.
"The day after the counting began, Fijilive had a phenomenal 10,000 visits in a 24-hour period," he said.
Most of this traffic can be put down to the 60,000 Fiji Islanders who emigrated after the coup in 1987 -- there are only 2500 Internet connections in Fiji itself.
Indeed, this is reflected in the relatively meagre computer resources at USP -- on a campus of 5500 students there are only eight Internet computers available in the library for the general student population.
The Journalism program was fortunate enough to buy another five computers with Internet links for their own use.
Despite the lack of resources, Robie said the students thrive on dealing with new technology.
"Anything that's new at all seems to be soaked up with enormous enthusiasm," he said.
Indeed, online journalism is an integral part of the journalism courses, with students expected to graduate with skills in four areas -- television, radio, print and online.
"Virtually all second and third-year students get regular Internet tuition," said Robie.
Overall, Robie is hopeful the further development of online media will benefit the people of the South Pacific, and hopefully USP students will be the driving force.