Asia Pacific Report: A New Zealand Nonprofit Journalism Model for Campus-Based Social Justice Media

https://doi.org/10.22146/ikat.v2i1.37395

David Robie(1*)

(1) Pasific Media Centre, School of Communication Studies, Auckland University of Technology
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


For nine years, the Pacific Media Centre research and publication unit at Auckland University of Technology has published journalism with an ‘activist’ edge to its style of reportage raising issues of social justice in New Zealand’s regional backyard. It has achieved this through partnerships with progressive sections of news media and a non-profit model of critical and challenging assignments for postgraduate students in the context of coups, civil war, climate change, human rights, sustainable development and neo-colonialism.  An earlier Pacific Scoop venture (2009-2015) has morphed into an innovative venture for the digital era, Asia Pacific Report (APR) (http://asiapacificreport.nz/), launched in January 2016. Amid the current global climate of controversy over ‘fake news’ and a ‘war on truth’ and declining credibility among some mainstream media, the APR project has demonstrated on many occasions the value of independent niche media questioning and challenging mainstream agendas. In this article, a series of case studies examines how the collective experience of citizen journalism, digital engagement and an innovative public empowerment journalism course can develop a unique online publication. The article traverses some of the region’s thorny political and social issues—including the controversial police shootings of students in Papua New Guinea in June 2016.

Keywords


Alternative Media; Campus Media; Citizen Journalism; Digital Engagement; Independent Journalism

Full Text:

PDF


References

About Asiapacificreport.nz (n.d.). Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/about/

Abplanalp, K. (2012). ‘Blood money’: A NZ investigative journalism case study. Pacific Journalism Review, 18(1), 128-147.

AFP (2016, October 6). Marshall Islands nuclear arms lawsuit thrown out by UN’s top court. Agence France-Presse. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/06/marshall-islands-nuclear-arms-lawsuit-thrown-out-by-uns-top-court

Archer, C. (2016, February 2). De Brum, Nuclear Zero lawyers nominated for Nobel Peace Prize. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/02/02/de-brum-nuclear-zero-lawyers-nominated-for-nobel-peace-prize/

Aupong, S. (2016, July 5). UPNG abandons 2016 academic year, suspends student body’. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/07/05/upng-abandons-2016-academic-year-suspends-student-body/

Bacon, W. (2012). An innovative direction in academic journalism. Pacific Journalism Review, 18(2), 153-165.

__________. (2011, December 1). Carbon pricing policy in the media. The Conversation. Retrieved from http://theconversation.com/carbon-pricing-policy-in-the-media-3746

__________. (2006). Journalism as research? Australian Journalism Review, 2(2), 147-157.

Bacon, W., and Nash, C. (2017). An investigative legacy. Pacific Journalism Review, 23(1), 2017, 6-11.

Berney, J., & Robie, D. (2008). Don’t publish and be damned: An advocacy media case study. Global Media Journal, 2(1). Retrieved from www.hca.westernsydney.edu.au/gmjau/archive/iss1_2008/bernie_robie.html

Bradner, E. (2017, January 23). Conway: Trump White House offered ‘alternative facts’ on crowd size’. CNN Politics. Retrieved from http://edition.cnn.com/2017/01/22/politics/kellyanne-conway-alternative-facts/

Caretaker PM slams Vanuatu Daily Postfor outspoken airport editorial (2016, January 30). Pacific Media Watch 9564in Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/01/30/caretaker-pm-slams-vanuatu-daily-post-for-outspoken-airport-editorial/

Commerce Commission New Zealand (2016, November 8). Commission proposes to decline NZME/Fairfax merger. Retrieved from http://comcom.govt.nz/the-commission/media-centre/media-releases/detail/2016/commission-proposes-to-decline-nzmefairfax-merger

Commerce Commission New Zealand (2017, May 3). Commission declines NZME/Fairfax merger. Retrieved from http://comcom.govt.nz/the-commission/media-centre/media-releases/2017/commission-declines-nzmefairfax-merger/

Danielsson, B., Danielsson, M-T., & Pierson, R. (1978). Polynesia’s third sex: The gay life starts in the kitchen. Pacific Islands Monthly, 49, 10-13.

Davidson, H. (2016, June 8). Papua New Guinea: Four students reported dead after police open fire on march. The Guardian Australia. Retrieved from www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jun/08/papua-new-guinea-police-shoot-at-students-during-march

de Brum, T. (2015, October 28). Tony de Brum: The nuclear-free future award. Nuclear-Free-Future.com. Retrieved from http://www.nuclear-free-future.com/en/laureates/laureates/tony-de-brum/

Downie, L., & Schudson, M. (2009, November/December) The reconstruction of American journalism. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from http://archives.cjr.org/reconstruction/the_reconstruction_of_american.php

Fiji Report—Bearing Witness (2016). Pacific Media Centre on Storify. Retrieved from https://storify.com/pacmedcentre/fiji-report-bearing-witness-2016

Gooch,N., Background to ‘Sulphate Sunrise’—investigating New Caledonia. Pacific Journalism Review, 18(1), 2012, 148-170.

Gato’aitele Savea Sano Malifa. (2016, July 21). Apology to our readers. Samoa ObserverEditorial. Retrieved from www.sobserver.ws/en/21_06_2016/local/7674/Apology-to-our-readers.htm

Hackett, R. A., Forde, S., Gunster, S., & Foxwell-Norton, K. (Eds.) (2017). Journalism and climate crisis: Public engagement, media alternatives, London, UK: Routledge

Hager, N. (2017). The crisis is all around us, and so are the solutions. In E. Johnson, G. Tiso, S. Illingworth and B. Bennett (Eds.), Don’t dream it’s over: Reimagining journalism in Aotearoa New Zealand. Christchurch, NZ: Freerange Press.

Hager, N., & and Stephenson, J. (2017). Hit & Run: The New Zealand SAS in Afghanistan and the meaning of honour. Nelson, NZ: Potton & Burton.

Hutt, K., & Cleaver, J. (2017, May 9). Destruction and construction—Tukuraki’s lonely story of survival. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/05/09/destruction-and-construction-tukurakis-lonely-story-of-survival/

Images: Students accused of setting cars on fire at UPNG security base [Citizen journalist gallery]. (2016, June 23). Asia Pacific Report.Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/23/students-accused-of-setting-cars-on-fire-at-upng-security-base/

Jackson, K. (2017, July 5). A news website that leads the way in Pacific journalism. PNG Attitude[Weblog]. Retrieved from http://asopa.typepad.com/asopa_people/2017/07/a-news-website-that-leads-the-way-in-pacific-journalism.html

Juffa, G. (2017, July 2. Why these PNG elections are taking us towards dictatorship. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from https://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/07/02/gary-juffa-why-these-png-elections-are-taking-us-towards-dictatorship/

Kalafi Moala: A word on the Samoa Observersuicide report (2016, June 27). Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/27/kalafi-moala-a-word-on-the-samoa-observer-suicide-report/

Kama, B. (2016, May 23). Standoff in PNG: Students take on Prime Minister Peter O’Neill. Café Pacific[Weblog]. Retrieved from http://cafepacific.blogspot.co.nz/2016/05/standoff-in-png-students-take-on-prime.html

Kama, L. (2016, June 9). ‘They shot at us like we’re trying to rob a bank,’ says UPNG student leader. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/09/they-shot-at-us-like-were-trying-to-rob-a-bank-says-upng-student-leader/; See also ‘Unitech student dies after PNG attack, campus buildings set ablaze’, Asia Pacific Report, 26 June 2016, retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/26/unitech-student-dies-in-png-attack-campus-buildings-set-ablaze/

Kemp, G. (2013, August 29). The Fourth Estate – can journalism really deliver on its promises? Pacific Media Centre Online. Retrieved from www.pmc.aut.ac.nz/articles/fourth-estate-can-journalism-really-deliver-its-promises

Kolhatkar, S. (2017, February 10). Fake news and Donald Trump’s war on truth. Common Dreams. Retrieved from http://www.commondreams.org/views/2017/02/10/fake-news-and-donald-trumps-war-truth; See also European Federation of Journalists (2017, March 29). How media are fighting fake news and disinformation. Europeanjournalists.org. retrieved from http://europeanjournalists.org/blog/2017/03/29/how-media-are-fighting-fake-news-and-disinformation/

Leaycraft, T. (2016, February 18). Paris climate summit ‘positive – but not enough for Pacific’, says SPREP. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/02/18/paris-climate-summit-positive-but-not-enough-for-pacific-says-sprep-chief/

Le Va, (2016). FLO: Suicide prevention for Pacific communities. [Multimedia resource]. Retrieved from www.leva.co.nz/resources

Lingao, E. (2010, December 28). Maguindanao massacre: One year after. In The Maguindanao chronicles: Reports on politics, murder, and the quest for justice.Manila: Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism (PCIJ).

LIVE: #PHVote2016 elections coverage by Rappler today (2016, May 9). Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/05/09/live-phvote-2016-elections-coverage-today-may-9/

McGarry, D. (2016, January 30). Vanuatu airport crisis: Daily Post hits back on safety. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/01/30/vanuatu-airport-crisis-the-price-of-politics-continued/

Manning, S. (2016, July 6). Personal communication

Milner, G. (1966). Samoan-English dictionary. Fa’afine entry.

Nash, C. (2016). What is journalism? The art and politics of a rupture. New York, NY, & London, UK: Routledge.

Peters, J. (2015, June 22). Removal of faculty advisers’ sparks concern about independence of student publications. Columbia Journalism Review. Retrieved from www.cjr.org/united_states_project/faculty_advisers_removed_concerns.php

Pilger, J. (2016). The coming war on China. Dartmouth Films [Documentary feature film]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3hbtM_NJ0s

Pryke, J. (2016a, July 25). How the gloss came off PNG’s PM Peter O’Neill. The Interpreter. Retrieved from https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/how-gloss-came-pngs-pm-peter-oneill

Pryke, J. (2016b, June 8). Papua New Guinea’s students have a point. Peter O’Neill should talk to them, not send police. The Guardian Australia. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/08/papua-new-guineas-students-have-a-point-peter-oneill-should-talk-to-them-not-send-police

RNZ (2018). RNZ content partnership with Pacific Media Centre. Radio New Zealand media statement. Retrieved from https://www.radionz.co.nz/media/116

Robie, D. (2016a, July 9). Duterte’s tough stance, impunity big challenges for media in Philippines. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/28/dutertes-tough-stance-impunity-big-challenge-for-media-in-philippines/

_________. (2016b). ‘Unfree and unfair’?: Media intimidation in Fiji’s 2014 elections. In S. Ratuva and S. Lawson (Eds.), The people have spoken: The 2014 elections in Fiji(pp. 83-107). Canberra, ACT: Australian National University. Retrieved from http://press-files.anu.edu.au/downloads/press/p337333/pdf/ch052.pdf

___________. (2015a). Eyes of Fire: The last voyage of the Rainbow Warrior. Auckland, NZ: Little Island Press. (Original edition published in 1986 by Lindon Books.)

___________. (2015b). Advocating journalism practice-as-research: A case for recognition in the New Zealand PBRF context. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 25(1), 62-73. doi: 10.1177/1326365X15575591

_________. (2015c). The struggle for media freedom amid jihadists, gaggers and ‘democratators’ [Review of the book The new censorship: Inside the global battle for media freedomby Joe Simon]. Pacific Journalism Review, 21/2, 197-199.

___________. (2014a). Pacific Media Watch: Beyond parochial news. Media Asia, 41/3, 2014, 220-226, doi: 10.1080/01296612.2014.11690019

_________. (2014b). Don’t spoil my beautiful face: Media, mayhem and human rights in the Pacific. Auckland, NZ: Little Island Press.

_________. (2012). Independent journalism in the South Pacific: Two campus-based media case studies in Fiji and New Zealand. Global Media Journal, 6,2012. Retrieved from http://aut.researchgateway.ac.nz/handle/10292/4579

_________. (2006). An independent student press: Three case studies from Fiji, Papua New Guinea and Aotearoa/New Zealand. Asia Pacific Media Educator, 17, 21-40.

_________. (2004a). Mekim Nius: South Pacific media, politics and education. Suva, Fiji: University of the South Pacific Book Centre.

_________. (2004b). Ross Stevens and Uni TavurA Kiwi publishing legacy among wantoks. Pacific Journalism Review, 10(2), 153-170.

____________. (2003). Cyberspace democracy: Freedom of speech dilemmas in Pacific journalism education, UTS Law Review,9/5, 131-149. Retrieved from http://www.austlii.edu.au/au/journals/UTSLawRw/2003/9.html

Romano, A. (2011). International journalism and democracy: Civic engagement models from around the world. New York, NY, & London, UK: Routledge.

RSF (2018, April 25): Hatred of journalism threatens democracies, Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Retrieved from https://rsf.org/en/rsf-index-2018-hatred-journalism-threatens-democracies

Shaw, I. S. (2011). Human rights journalism: A critical conceptual framework of a complementary strand of peace journalism. In I. S. Shaw, J. Lynch and R. A. Hackett (Eds.), Expanding peace journalism: Comparative and critical approaches. Sydney, NSW: Sydney University Press.

Simon, J. (2015). The new censorship: Inside the global battle for press freedom. New York, NY:Columbia.

Spongberg, M. (2017, March 28). Closure of the Australian Centre for Independent Journalism [Intranet email]. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Technology, Sydney.

Story: Filipinos (n.d.). The encyclopedia of New Zealand.Retrieved from www.teara.govt.nz/en/filipinos/page-1

Sunday Samoan condemned for ‘disgusting, degrading’ reporting of death (2016, June 25). Pacific Media Watch 9705in Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/06/20/sunday-samoa-condemned-for-disgusting-degrading-reporting-of-death/

Turner, G. (2016). Re-inventing the media.New York, NY; & London, UK: Routledge.

Vacala, K. (2017, April 4). Attack on FBC reporter outside court stirs Fiji media protests. Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2017/03/15/attack-on-fbc-reporter-outside-court-stirs-fiji-media-protests/

Vanuatu airport runway repairs usher in the new tourism era. (2016, May 8). Asia Pacific Report. Retrieved from http://asiapacificreport.nz/2016/05/08/vanuatu-airport-runway-repairs-usher-in-new-tourism-era/

Wakus, W. (2001). ‘I couldn’t stop crying’. Pacific Journalism: The Uni Tavur Testimony 1. Pacific Journalism Review: Te Koakoa, 7(1), 127-128. https://doi.org/10.24135/pjr.v7i1.717



DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ikat.v2i1.37395

Article Metrics

Abstract views : 7861 | views : 2727

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


Copyright (c) 2018 David Robie

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

View My Stats