Pacific Media Network (PMN) is a radio group in New Zealand that runs three radio networks, PMN 531, PMN News and PMN Niu (only targeting Auckland). It broadcasts in 11 languages spoken in the Pacific area, including Cook Islands Maori, Niuean, Tongan, Tuvaluan, Kiribati Gilbertese and Fijian.
Media assets
Radio: Niu FM, 531 pi, PMN News
State Media Matrix Typology: Independent State-Funded and State-Managed (ISFM)
Ownership and governance
PMN is run by the state-controlled National Pacific Trust, and its Board, the highest authority in the group, is appointed by the government.
Source of funding and budget
National Pacific Radio Trust, which runs PMN, receives a state subsidy, via NZ On Air, which was a total amount of NZ$ 4.1m in the fiscal year 2020, according to a report from NZ On Air. The radio group also generates some NZ$ 1m in commercial revenue a year. No more recent PMN annual reports are publicly available.
Editorial independence
There are no editorial norms imposed by the government that PMN has to follow and no evidence of government interference with the editorial programming at PMN has been identified.
There is no domestic statute and no independent assessment or oversight mechanism in place at PMN to validate the editorial independence of the group.
August 2023