Friday 25th September, 2026
PAPUA New Guinea Media Council president Neville Choi has been appointed president of the Pacific Islands News Association (PINA).
Choi takes over the regional media body as Pacific news organizations continue to face pressure to remain financially sustainable while adapting to the rapid changes brought by digital media and new technology.
His appointment was announced following the PINA meeting in Fiji, where he was elected to lead the association.
Speaking after his appointment, Choi said sustainability remained one of the biggest challenges facing media in the Pacific.“The biggest threat to Pacific media now, continues to be sustainability,” he said.
He said media organizations needed to find ways to remain financially viable while continuing to provide reliable information to their communities.
Choi also pointed to the growing need for journalists and newsrooms to verify information, particularly as social media and artificial intelligence make it easier for false or misleading information to spread.
He said the Pacific also needed to ensure that smaller island nations had a voice in regional media discussions.Choi has been involved in the PNG media industry for many years, working in journalism, broadcasting, editing and communications.
He has worked as a journalist covering politics, business and the environment and has held newsroom and management positions in the media industry.
He is currently president of the Media Council of Papua New Guinea and has been involved with PINA through its regional media network.
As PINA president, Choi will work with media organizations and journalists from across the Pacific on issues affecting the industry, including media sustainability, professional development, media freedom and the changing digital environment.
PNG is also expected to host the Pacific Media Summit in 2028 after securing the right to host the regional gathering.
Choi said the summit would provide an opportunity to bring Pacific media organizations together in PNG and discuss the challenges facing journalism in the region.
His appointment gives PNG a leading role in the regional media body as Pacific newsrooms look at how to remain relevant and sustainable in a rapidly changing media environment.