The BCN Board, management and news team are very pleased to receive new news production equipment as part of the Pacific Cooperation Broadcasting (PCBL) and Pasifika TV funded by the New Zealand governments Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
The New Zealand High Commissioner to Niue Helen Tunnah officially handed the equipment which includes a field kit (with camera), lighting, laptop, and tripod to BCN this morning.
High Commissioner Tunnah, a former journalist says that New Zealand is very pleased to provide support to Pacific broadcasting particularly in the advent of disasters.
“To enable you to continue to broadcast and in particular to really get the critical health and safety messages out to the people of Niue whether it’s a natural disaster or a pandemic”.
“It’s really really critical that the media are able to continue broadcasting and to keep that information flowing to the public”.
BCN’s General Manager, Trevor Tiakia joined by the small news team of Esther Pavihi, Tifaga Tupuiliu and Eroti Navuku (pictured with HC Tunnah and deputy HC Nigel Ewels) were all at the New Zealand chancery this morning to accept the equipment.
Tiakia thanked the New Zealand government for the much needed equipment.
“On behalf of BCN, we’d like to thank the New Zealand government through MFAT and Pasifika TV for providing us with these resources to allow us to carry out our work. We’d like also to thank the NZ government for funding the training, much needed for our staff in order for us to keep the community informed especially during times of disasters”.
The New Zealand High Commissioner said that “The Pacific broadcasting programme and the media resilience programmes runs across a number of Pacific countries and it will continue with training and with economic resilience post the COVID pandemic as well”.
HC Tunnah says that they are aware of what a difficult year it has been for BCN when a fire destroyed the studios in May last year.
“We know also that it has been a really difficult year for BCN with the fire last year so we’re really happy to be able to help in a little way with this”.
Since May last year, the news team has been operating with one camera and a few pieces of equipment that was salvaged and restored from the ruins of the studios. The government has yet to provide financial support for the purchase of new equipment or rebuilding of the studios. The news team of one reporter/producer and two in camera/editing and graphics provides daily news for radio, TV, and online on tvniue.com.