Commentary: Pasifika media in the digital era

Abstract

The proportion of people who identified as Pacific Islanders in New Zealand grew by 14.7 percent to 265,974 in the 2005 Census. Overall, Pacific people now comprise almost 7 percent of the total New Zealand population. As the Pacific communities have grown, so have the Pasifika media developed and grown. Today, most of the Pacific Islands community has become well served by radio, newspapers, online media and, to a lesser extent, television—but not well served by mainstream media. Almost all of the media services are owned/and or operated by Pacific Islands businesses or organisations based either in New Zealand or in the Islands. This commentary outlines the state of Pasifika media in New Zealand and the challenges ahead for telling Pacific stories in the digital era.