Pacific media professionals have gathered to see how they can create innovative ways to influence a new wave of Pacific media in Aotearoa.
This year's theme at the Pacific Media Fono was Tagata Moana.
Coconet TV's Lisa Taouma believes Pacific media will do well because statistics show the rate of growth of Pacific populations in New Zealand is faster than the rate of growth of New Zealand's population overall.
"The thing is we are not surviving, we are thriving in this space. We are thriving because of the demographic of who we are."
“The median age for Pacific people in New Zealand is 23, that is most of us. Most Pacific people are under the age of 23 which is not this room.”
It was about networking, the future, and creating partnerships among different Polynesian media outlets.
It’s been 15 years since the last event when the Pacific media in this country gathered to learn from each other.
PMN Tonga producer- Filipo Motulalo recalled how times had, changed since he started as a radio producer in 1993.
“In 1972 and 1973 there was a three-minute section on Radio New Zealand in Tongan and our whole household tuned into that three minutes. After three minutes of silence, nobody even moved because there were three minutes of Tongan news.”
“We’ve come a long way, and to sit at the table with the people who have paved the way and hear some of the stories - apparently some of them went without wages - but, because of their passion, we are here today,” he said.
The panel discussions shed light on the future of digital content, with predictions that television may become a saturated platform within the next five years.
John Pulu, the host of Tagata Pasifika which airs every Saturday morning on TV 1, is happy with the transition to the world wide web.
"We are adapting to this new environment with the use of the online platforms that we have available to our community," he says.
He also highlighted the increasing availability of Pacific-focused programs on various platforms, ensuring that Pacific stories continue to be shared.
Reflecting on the significance of the event, PMN journalist Matthew Manukuo noted the growing presence of young Pacific people in media.
"We're in the perfect place at the right time to be a Pacific person in media because there are more people that look like us who are starting to pop up on our TV screens and on our phones and in digital media," he said.
Manukuo celebrated that young people now saw media as a viable career option, with, among others, former athletes transitioning into broadcasting and participating in TV panels.
Pacific media outlets in Aotearoa will look to embrace digital platforms and nurturing partnerships, while Pacific media professionals aspire to continue amplifying Pacific voices and stories for generations to come.
They also look to create content that authentically represents the real-life situations of Pacific communities and families.