SUVA (FBC NEWS)—Mainstream media struggles to remain relevant to its audience in the face of social media’s increasing popularity.
While speaking at the Annual Pacific Media Partnership Conference Tuesday, Managing Director for the Samoa Broadcasting Corporation Faiesea Matafeo highlighted that this should be a priority in the media space.
“Our priority right now is to maintain our relevancy to our community and our audience. That’s one of the few strengths that we have right now with the social media encroaching.”
Matafeo said social media is also taking a big portion of their advertising revenue, and that is why the traditional media must come up with new ideas to maintain its listeners and viewership.
Matafeo placed an emphasis for mainstream media to continue being a reliable and dependable source of information to its audience.
Meanwhile, the media plays a critical role in highlighting daily issues and challenges, while also advocating for change.
Fiji Women and Children Minister Sashi Kiran said media houses have recently run campaigns on critical issues like drugs and street children, often without financial considerations.
Kiran believes the media is realising its role, but can do more to promote women in leadership, a topic often discussed but with little tangible change.
Speaking at the Pacific Media Partnership Conference during the “Women in Leadership” session, Kiran stressed that not enough is being done to cover impactful stories about women.
“If media engine rooms could think, how do you want to portray women or how do you want to portray issues? Not just, it’s not just enough covering the issue, how can it be impactful to be able to deliver some impact would be awesome.”
Kiran also stated that firmer laws are needed to protect women journalists.
She added that the Online Safety Commission is developing regulations, and they need the power to charge people for harassment.
“It is unreal in this world when we see so many people think abuse is okay. How did we make abuse and laughing at abuse a norm is something that the whole of society needs to think through.”
Kiran said that stronger law enforcement and a whole-of-society approach are critical to changing societal mindsets….PACNEWS