In a significant step for investigative reporting in the Pacific, the East-West Center and Report for the World have announced the six journalists chosen for the Pacific Islands Financial Investigative Reporting and Mentorship Initiative (FIRM). This groundbreaking program aims to empower local newsrooms to hold leaders accountable through in-depth financial reporting.
The chosen journalists are Meri Radinibaravi (The Fiji Times, Fiji), Aisha Azeemah (Islands Business, Fiji), Julie Badui Owa and Charmaine Poriambep (Inside PNG, Papua New Guinea), Ronald Flier Toito’ona (In-depth Solomons, Solomon Islands), and Siosifa Pomana (Talanoa ʻo Tonga, Tonga).
“Local, independent media are crucial for connecting communities and holding leaders accountable,” said Preethi Nallu, Executive Director of Report for the World. “We’re thrilled to work with these journalists who will delve into critical financial issues like climate change, corruption, and education across the Pacific.”
The FIRM initiative offers participating journalists salary support for up to three years, allowing them to dedicate themselves to investigative reporting. They will also receive extensive training from the East-West Center, Report for the World, the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project, and other experts. This professional development will encompass strategic financial investigation techniques, journalism safety, cybersecurity, visual storytelling, and international collaboration.
“This partnership allows us to dedicate a reporter to investigating the region’s most pressing financial stories,” said Samantha Magick, Managing Editor at Islands Business. “FIRM strengthens our coverage and bolsters investigative journalism in the Pacific.”
The initiative officially launches at the 2024 East-West Center International Media Conference (IMC) in Manila, Philippines (June 23-26). The conference will feature panels with the selected journalists and representatives from the supporting organisations. Kalafi Moala, Editor for Talanoa ʻo Tonga, is attending the IMC together with Siosifa Pomana. Talanoaʻo Tonga is an independent newsroom in Tonga currently operating an online news website.
Funding for FIRM comes from PROJECT Governance, a multi-year collaboration between USAID, the Pacific Community, and the East-West Center. “By partnering with local newsrooms through FIRM,” said East-West Center President Suzanne Vares-Lum, “we empower them to shed light on financial matters with significant economic and political consequences.”
The East-West Center, founded by the U.S. Congress in 1960, has a long history of supporting independent media in the Indo-Pacific region. Report for the World, under The Ground Truth Project, focuses on building sustainable media ecosystems through public service journalism.
This collaboration signifies a powerful step forward for independent media in the Pacific Islands, ultimately fostering transparency and accountability across the region.
