Pacific Media Network launches PMN Play streaming platform

Pacific Media Network has launched PMN Play, a new streaming digital destination for Pacific content.

PMN Play can be accessed at www.pmnplay.co.nz, with the free app available on Apple and Android devices.

PMN Play brings together live streams of 531pi and Niu FM radio stations with a curated collection of PMN content including news, sport, documentaries, interviews, performances, children’s and language programmes, as well as content provided by the Pacific creative community and filmmakers.

PMN Play will sit alongside PMN’s main website and digital news service, www.pmn.co.nz, extending the network’s digital offering while giving audiences a dedicated place to stream live radio, video and on-demand Pacific content.

Pacific Media Network chief executive Don Mann says PMN Play is an important next step in how the organisation serves Pacific communities.

“Our audiences already connect with PMN across radio, digital news, video and social platforms. PMN Play brings content that was previously spread across multiple channels into one dedicated, easy-to-use home,” Mann says.

“It also reflects our wider Moanaverse strategy — a connected, multi-platform Pacific media ecosystem designed to meet audiences wherever they choose to watch, listen and engage.

“Audiences can listen to our radio stations, follow live content and explore a growing range of Pacific stories and programmes in one place.

“At launch, we’re proud to offer a strong mix of programming, including content supported through the Moana Reo Media Fund — a partnership between PMN and the Ministry for Pacific Peoples that backs Pacific-language media projects and helps grow the skills of emerging Pacific storytellers.”

One of those projects is Algorithm of Shame: In the Village, Everybody Knows, a Pacific-led documentary examining online shaming, cyberbullying and the impact of social media on individuals, families and communities in Fiji.

The documentary had its New Zealand premiere at an event in Auckland last week and is now available on PMN Play for a limited two-week window.

PMN Play will also carry the UK Super League Finals, reflecting the strong Pacific interest in the competition and the large number of Pacific players involved.

In New Zealand, the finals will be available live exclusively on PMN Play, with viewers able to purchase a $9.99 Finals Pass to watch the Eliminators round, Semi-Finals and Grand Final. A selection of earlier Super League matches will remain free to watch on the platform.

Mann says the platform creates new opportunities to support Pacific content and make important cultural material more accessible.

“Whether people are at home or on the move, they can access PMN Play on their mobile phone, tablet, computer or other connected devices. It gives our audiences an easier and more flexible way to stay connected with Pacific voices, languages and stories,” Mann says.

“Our aim is to create a trusted, authentic platform where Pacific people can see and hear themselves, discover content from across our communities and remain connected to their cultures and languages.

“It also gives us greater oversight of how our content is distributed, reducing our reliance on third-party platforms while creating new opportunities to support Pacific creators, preserve valuable cultural content and build sustainable revenue streams to reinvest in Pacific content.”

The PMN Play visual identity uses a frame and play-button symbol inspired by traditional Pacific patterns, representing the platform as a window into Pacific culture.

PMN Play is free to access through the Apple App Store, Google Play and online at www.pmnplay.co.nz

PMN Play — press play on the Pacific.