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PACIFIC MEDIA CENTRE
NIUS BEAT
PNG: National TV service, but what happens next?
Pacific Media Centre/Pacific Magazine: 19 September 2008
19 September 2008
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It is, perhaps, a case of ‘better late than never’ as Sir Michael Somare has finally seen the
plight of the people of Papua New Guinea and set up a television public broadcaster.
Hopefully, writes Malum Nalu, this will create a strong local film industry in the twilight of
the prime minister’s political career.
PORT MORESBY: September 16, 1975, was a momentous occasion for Papua New Guinea as
we gained our independence from Australia.
And September 16, 2008, was likewise a significant date on
PNG’s calendar as the country finally received its long-overdue
national television service.
The common denominator in both 1975 and 2008 was that Sir
Michael Somare was there as prime minister.
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I was also there in 1975 as an eight-year-old child in Goroka, and
now, as a 41-year-old widower and father of four young children
in Port Moresby.
“The dawn of a new era”…”proud moment for PNG”…”the world
will now know PNG” were some of the phrases used on Tuesday
this week to describe the launch of the state-owned television
station in Wewak, East Sepik province.
Television in Papua New Guinea
… a boost for local content.
The National Television Service (NTS) was switched on at the
Port Moresby studio at exactly 6 pm after the ceremonial launch in Wewak by Sir Michael.
Large screens were set up in Goroka, Mount Hagen, Rabaul and Port Moresby to watch the
new service of mostly pre-recorded programmes.
As the TV screens assembled outside the NBC Wewak studios showed the live transmission in
front of Sir Michael and invited guests, the Prime Minister hugged 10-year-old Manus twins,
Debbie and Barbie Sipasan, and watched the screen with a big smile.
National Broadcasting Commission managing director Joseph Ealedona shed a few tears –
overwhelmed with emotion to see the success of two years of hard work.
Independence gift
In Port Moresby, as I watched the transmission, I was likewise overwhelmed with emotion
like my journalism classmate Joe and tears rolled down my eyes as my children asked me
why I was crying. It had taken so long - and at last - Sir Michael had lived up to his words by
delivering an independence gift of a national television station on September 16, 2008.
The night started off with Yumi Yet, a nostalgic look at footage from September 16, 1975,
moments forever etched in time. This was followed by an address to the nation by Sir
Michael on the setting up of NTS.
Then came Angels of War, a balanced view of World War II from both the Allied and
Japanese perspectives, with snippets from Papua New Guinea’s “fuzzy wuzzy angels",
members of the Pacific Islands Battalion, as well as heroes like East Sepik’s Yauwiga with his
one arm and blue eye, courtesy of an Australian donor.
Young Goroka-based journalist Llane Munau got the show running by introducing Chris
Owen’s Betelnut Bisnis, a documentary on the trials and tribulations of his security guard, a
wannabe buai tycoon.
19/09/2008 3:38 p.m.
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The night ended off with Tin Pis Ran, starring my old Lae buddy and ex Aiyura National High
School schoolmate Oscar Wanu, a skit on the adventures of an old man, his offsider, his
daughter and his happy-go-lucky PMV truck.
Communications Minister Patrick Tammur pulled down the curtain on a fine night of
entertainment by committing the station to a lot of local content.
I asked myself, after watching all the PNG content, why we don’t have a viable film industry
in the country after all these years.
EMTV also had the opportunity to promote local content for more than 20 years but failed
miserably. These days, with the advent of television, video, VCDs and the internet, the
movie projector has become as antiquated as the time-honored typewriter.
Couch potatoes
Kids today have become virtual couch potatoes, intoxicated by daily doses of foreign
programs like Neighbours, Bay Watch and Mr Bean.
The 1970s that I grew up in was an epoch of PNG classics such as Wokabaut Bilong Tonten,
Marabe, and the later Tukana: Husat I Asua, to name but a few. Documentaries such as First
Contact, Shark Callers of Kontu, the satirical Cannibal Tours and Trobriand Cricket won
acclaim both here and overseas.
There were also local productions on the likes of agriculture, health, family planning and
small business – seemingly destined for greatness.
The missionary zeal of the now-defunct Office of Information needs to be rekindled. In
those days, officers carried projectors to rural areas and showed development films,
meaning that people actually participated in development.
When the government abolished the OI, PNG started having problems because information
on development wasn’t getting out to the people, particularly the vast majority in the rural
areas. Sadly, as is the case with most things in PNG since September 16, 1975, things have
fallen along the wayside.
In 2000, I wrote a series of articles for The National out of Goroka for PNG’s silver jubilee,
one of which was an interview with local filmmaker Rodney Sinaune:
“If the government seriously looks at the importance of this industry, it will help a lot in
the development process.
“People will be educated if we use the mass media; they will become equal partners in
development. There have been many productions made about PNG (by expatriates), but we
are not supporting a local industry.
“People from overseas are gaining mileage out of us. We should have local content and
participation. The need is there, the demand is there, but the government needs to give
proper direction.
“The government should also look at setting up another TV station, as there’s a lot of
material being produced, but no medium over which to broadcast.
“It should, perhaps, also look at the creation of a National Film Commission.
“If the National Executive Council, through an Act of Parliament, creates a National Film
Commission, everything will be alright. The film industry will also employ a lot of people.
“The government, for far too long, has overlooked the industry. Bureaucratic red tape is
also a big problem.”
I know that film makers such as Sinaune, Chris Owens, Leonie Kanawi, Ignatius Talania, Baike Johnston, and many
others, will finally breathe a sigh of relief with the setting up of NTS.
It is, perhaps, a case of “better late than never” as Sir Michael has finally seen the plight of the people of this country
and set up a TV station, which will also hopefully create a strong local film industry, in the twilight of his career.
Malum Nalu is a Papua New Guinea journalist. This article was originally published in Pacific Magazine this week and
19/09/2008 3:38 p.m.
Pacific Media Centre - AUT University
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has been republished with permission..
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19/09/2008 3:38 p.m.