MDI celebrates 20 years of strengthening media in PNG

The Media Development Initiative [MDI] joined hands with long-standing partners, media professionals, civil societies, and community voices in celebrating its 20 years of shaping media landscaping in Papua New Guinea.

They celebrated two decades of training, mentoring, networking to ensure media houses uphold transparency, inclusivity and accountable reporting within PNG and the Pacific.

The Minister Counsellor Australian High Commission Ms Penny Morton, Managing Director of National Broadcasting Corporation of PNG, Kora Nou, Media Council President Neville Choi, and ABC International Development [ABCID] Manager Jo Elsom have shared achievements of working with MDI for the past 20 years and forged continuous relationship.

NBC Managing Director Kora Nou has appreciated MDI for a decade of relationship in the space of capacity building for staff and the entire newsroom.

"I am humbled to stand here today to celebrate 20 years of excellence in media in our country.

"MDI and NBC also share a 10-year journey together, and looking back, it’s inspiring to see how the initiative has evolved and deepened its engagement with PNG’s media industry. 

"What started with a strong focus on NBC has now expanded to include the broader media community across the country and sincerely thank MDI/ABCID for not only extending their support but, more importantly, for working with the PNG media.

"The collaboration between MDI/ABCID, and PNG media has been different, it has been genuine, consistent, and results-driven," Mr. Nou said.

Media Council President Neville Choi also said that the support PNG Media received from MDI has been truly significant. 

"With MDI's continued support through ABC International Development, we've achieved some major milestones. We repurposed and reviewed our constitution and successfully updated our Code of Ethics and Professional Practice.

"This code is now widely recognized as the standard for professional media conduct in Papua New Guinea.

"In many ways, we’re ticking off items from the original list of dreams we had for the media in PNG," Choi said.

Meanwhile, ABCID Manager Jo Elsom gives confidence that the work that MDI done in PNG will not stop here. 

"It is with hope that we share your optimism for the future. Collaborations such as MDI are all about enduring partnerships to bind and sustain each other. So we exist to help each other."