NBC in conflict reporting
The National Broadcasting Corporation [NBC] is boosting its capacity for conflict reporting, as the spread of misinformation and disinformation becomes the biggest threat to credible news.
The NBC has nominated one of its senior journalists for the War Journalism Training Programme in Türkiye this month.
The geographic isolation of PNG and the Pacific shields the region from the direct conflict risks faced by other nations.
The region however, faces growing risks when reporting in difficult disaster zones.
Speaking on a panel during the Asia Pacific Union Global News Leaders forum underway in Sydney, ABU Group News Chair and Deputy Director General of Turkish Radio and Television [TRT] Ahmet Gormez said newsrooms globally face mounting challenges in getting the truth out in difficult conflict areas.
He warned that beyond physical danger, there is an information war being waged alongside conflicts.
He said newsrooms are now prioritizing efforts to combat lies and disinformation while managing shrinking budgets.
Mr. Gormez also said the survival of journalists and the human role in storytelling must be protected, even as media funding and regulation remain major challenges.
He said despite advances in technology, news must continue to be reported by people on the ground.
"We are called journalists because we are living in this time zone of humanity. I really think it's very important. History needs to be written by human beings.
The comments come during discussions about how public broadcasters can remain resilient amid financial pressure, Artificial Intelligence, misinformation, and competition from commercial media.
Meanwhile, acting Director of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News, Donna Field, said the biggest challenge for news leaders today is breaking through a crowded media landscape to reach audiences.
Speaking on the same panel, she said the focus remains on protecting public interest journalism.
"The fact that it is a crowded environment now, trying to get people's attention."
According to the acting Director of ABC News, newsrooms can no longer rely on the old model where a good story will find its audience.
"We have to do a lot of strategic thinking about how we get to audiences now….something we perhaps didn't have to do 30, 40, 50 years ago. In terms of the ways we tell stories, the platforms and the formats, these are critically important."
She warned that ensuring the legacy of public interest journalism remains a challenge..
"In a world where political sands are shifting, where there is mis- and disinformation, where journalists are often a target, these are really challenging things for news organisations around the world.”
Papua New Guinea is facing a rising tide of online misinformation and disinformation.
The Department of Information and Communications Technology is actively implementing policies and digital frameworks to combat the problem.