PMN leads media literacy workshops in Rarotonga to combat disinformation

A team from Pacific Media Network (PMN) has wrapped up a successful series of media literacy workshops in Rarotonga.

Led by a three-person PMN team, the sessions focused on strengthening public understanding of journalism, tackling misinformation and disinformation, as well as highlighting the media’s role in a democratic society.

PMN is New Zealand’s only Pacific-focused media organisation, operating two national radio stations 531pi and Niu FM, as well as a dedicated news service, PMN News, which serves Pacific communities across Aotearoa and the wider region.

The initiative, “Building Media Literacy: Introduction to Journalism and Countering Disinformation”, brought together students, NGO representatives, and government officials for interactive sessions exploring today’s complex information environment.

A key feature of the programme was a roundtable with local media representatives, where participants discussed the challenges of misinformation, online comment moderation, and the need to strengthen collaboration across the Cook Islands media sector.

Workshop topics also included identifying disinformation, understanding journalism’s civic role, and navigating the ethical use of digital and AI tools in content production.

PMN journalist and 531pi Pacific Mornings host William Terite (Aitutaki) says he was inspired by the engagement of young participants.

“These young people are already immersed in media through social platforms, but what we offered was a deeper understanding of how journalism works and how they can help shape it,” he says.

“It was powerful to see how quickly they grasped concepts like accuracy, fairness, and critical thinking, and how to tell whether a source is trustworthy.”

Several students left the sessions expressing interest in pursuing careers in journalism.

While in the Cook Islands, Terite broadcast PMN’s flagship news breakfast show Pacific Mornings live from Rarotonga for a week, with support from local radio station 88FM.

Host of Pacific Mornings William Terite broadcasting from the 88FM studio in Rarotonga.

PMN Cook Islands producer Tauraki Rongo (Rarotonga) says the workshops demonstrated the importance of nurturing local media leadership.

“These sessions weren’t about parachuting in solutions,” he says.

“They were about working together to strengthen what already exists, local voices, local knowledge, and a shared commitment to truth and accountability, especially in our own reo, Cook Islands Māori.

“We want to equip people with the skills to question, verify, and engage confidently in public dialogue, especially in an age where misinformation can spread rapidly.”

PMN News Director and lead facilitator Samson Samasoni says the sessions highlighted both the strengths and challenges within the Cook Islands media landscape.

“What stood out was the depth of commitment from journalists and community members to uphold truth and integrity in a fast-evolving information environment,” he said.

“We heard about the real difficulties of moderating online content, the urgent need for media education in schools, and how fragile public trust can be.”

Samasoni says that despite limited resources, there is a clear appetite for collaboration, training, and a stronger, more connected media sector locally.

This workshop series in the Cook Islands follows similar work led by PMN last year in Niue and forms part of a broader regional initiative to build media capacity and strengthen democratic resilience across the Pacific, especially the nations whose languages are most at risk.

Samasoni says PMN will be following up with a set of practical actions that were discussed during the workshops.

“We see this as the start of an ongoing conversation and commitment,” he says.

“PMN is looking to work alongside local media and other partners to ensure these ideas turn into sustainable outcomes.”

The Rarotonga and Niue programmes was supported with a grant from the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand, and the assistance of Cook Islands News in the Cook Islands.