New Asia Pacific nonprofit takes up role of PJR publishing

A new Asia Pacific nonprofit group has taken up the role of publishing the independent Pacific Journalism Review and other research and publication ventures.

The launch of the Asia Pacific Media Network | Te Koakoa Inc. has ensured the viability of the New Zealand-based 28-year-old journal that was founded at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994.

The journal has a focus on Asia Pacific, Australia and New Zealand media research but also publishes widely on global issues.

Chair Dr. Heather Devere said the members of the network – mostly in Australia, Fiji and New Zealand – aimed to “show support and work for the benefit of First Nations and other communities in Aotearoa and the Asia-Pacific region.”

But, added Dr Devere, retired director of research practice of the National Centre for Peace and Conflict Studies (NCPACS): “The first and most urgent aim is to enable the continued publication of the non-profit media research journal Pacific Journalism Review”. 

The journal has already produced two double editions since becoming independent of its last host, Auckland University of Technology, which had followed the University of the South Pacific as publisher. https://ojs.aut.ac.nz/pacific-journalism-review/issue/archive

Professor David Robie, founding editor of the journal and who retired as AUT’s Pacific Media Centre (PMC) director in 2020, said he was “delighted” with this development and thanked colleagues for their support.

After organizing the establishment of the APMN, he is now deputy chair and is looking for new projects. He is also country representative of the Asian Media Information and Communication Centre (AMIC).

Dr. Devere said it was urgent to establish such a network “ to continue the work on Aotearoa New Zealand’s role in the Asia Pacific region following the demise of the Pacific Media Centre at AUT.”

There was no longer a space for those working on the PJR that was publishing research related to important and on-going issues in New Zealand’s immediate region.

Dr. Devere said there was no longer a focus of any New Zealand universities doing the work being done by APMN.

“While there is a current focus on Pacific Issues, there is no stable space for those working on media issues in the Asia Pacific region,” she said.

“There is also a conflict of interest between universities that are now functioning as commercial institutions and investigative journalism that is engaged in providing accurate and reliable information for citizens.”

More information about APMN
https://www.facebook.com/PacificJournalismReview

Contact: David Robie – davidrobie.nz@icloud.com