Creating a high performance

cultureA Pacific perspective

1AMS Hanoi 2011

The plan

• The Pacific mediascape

• PACMAS

• Technology Explosion

• Capacity & Content

• Measuring Impact

• Retaining talent

• Donor harmonisation

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3AMS Hanoi 2011

The PACIFIC region

• 15 independent and mostly small island developing states scattered through the vast South Pacific Ocean.

• Geographically the region covers a total area of 8.5m square kilometres.

• The population estimate (2008) was 32 million growing at a rate of between 4-6 percent per annum.

• The region’s combined GDP is about US$930 billion.

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Pacific Media challenges

• constrained by the limitations of the laws, regulation and national policies

• lack of citizen engagement with the media;

• struggle to be financially viable;

• Government media units and NGOs struggle to effectively use the media;

• Distribution systems are, in the main, of poor quality and limit the capacity of the media

• Content sharing systems are poorly developed although there is some cooperation covering the broadly defined governance and public policy issues;

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• In most cases journalism training is under-developed or non-existent.

• The paucity of journalism codes of ethics and industry complaints processes leaves the media vulnerable to government criticism;

• Media associations (national and regional) are, in the main, small and under-resourced. In some countries they do not exist or are not operational;

• Pacific communities gain most of their information from the media where stereotypical gender representations prevail.

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• The Pacific media sector has become fragmented with animosity between rival regional media organisations;

• new Pacific-wide media networks are emerging;

• the media in some countries are coming under increased scrutiny, constraint and censorship;

• Significant INGO & NGO and bilateral activity continues to occur, though this tends to be on an ad hoc basis and with little coordination or harmonisation;

• Technology explosion makes the role of teleco regulation more significant in driving forward media convergence and access to new digital media content

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Media market conditions

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Citizen interaction

with the media

Media organisations

Professional standards

Distribution system

Media content

Media support organisations

Media laws, regulation and policy

PACMAS

• Pacific Media Assistance Scheme

• This is a ten year commitment by AusAID to contribute to the ongoing development of the media in the Pacific.

• Managed by Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s International Projects

• Based on communication for development (C4D)

• Four components - Capacity Building; Policy and Legislation; Media Distribution Systems; and Media Content.

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Technology Explosion

• Pacific not insulated from the tech changes

• Some successfully embraced technology while others struggle

• Danger of rushing into technology for the sake of “buying in” and not based on needs

• Serious shortage of technical skills in some Pis

• Regional engineering network being set up under PACMAS

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Capacity & Content

• Still a lot of concentration on journalism training & other areas neglected

• infrastructure and content initiatives that are commonplace in most of your countries, largely nonexistent in many PIs

• Broadcasters charge for public service announcements (malaria, HIV-AIDS, etc)

• Talkback radio popular and in Vanuatu soon to be simulcast on national TV

• Provincial radio network in Vanuatu

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• Growing number of joint productions with foreign broadcasters (CCTV, ABC, France, NZ, National Geographic)

• New children’s talkshow and related program hosted by children to be introduced in Vanuatu

• Program Bank concept introduced

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The IMPACT

• Over the past two decades, there have been a multitude of studies and audience surveys on the Pacific media

• These studies all focused on media usage or the state of the media in the Pacific.

• But little or no work on the IMPACT our programs are having on our audiences

• Will be one of the first activities under PACMAS

• Will help us all know how we can be more affective

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TALENT RETENTION

• Facing shortage of skills in key areas (finance, HR, technical and archives)

• Our challenge can be narrowed down to two major reasons – an organisation’s inability to afford higher wage bills; and the stark absence of a “people development plan”.

• Times have changed with employees now more demanding

• Always on prowl for better paid jobs putting into question their loyalty & committment

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• Approach by many PIs is to keep as many people as possible in paid employment – little $$$$$ left for people & capital development

• Trend seems to be changing as governments priorities shift

• Media forced to reorganise and improve efficiency

• Some broadcasters have been innovative & accepted the need to change

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• Profit sharing arrangements with the option to convert the cash into shares in the company

• Paying out sick leave bonuses

• A performance pay system rewarding excellence

• Upgrading the workplace to make it more comfortable for staff

• Providing uniforms

• Offering non cash rewards for excellent performance (family holidays, gift vouchers, etc)

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• Internal excellence awards

• An interest free soft loan scheme for education

• Staff medical and life insurance schemes

• Providing staff with time payment plans to buy recorders, laptops, cameras and technical tools

• Monthly staff socials

• Promise of overseas training opportunities if they achieved results

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• evidence that more PI broadcasters are beginning to develop organisational objectives

and strategies.

• Job plans clearly setting out expectations are fast becoming the norm.

• Career development plans are being actively promoted.

• Mentoring is encouraged and management styles are also changing (though very slowly) in

favour of a more inclusive approach where employees are made to feel they have

ownership of decisions.

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• Internal communication channels are improving

• There are greater internal consultations as opposed to a top down approach.

• Mediation is being promoted as the first step in industrial disputes.

• So it is evident that organisations are working towards creating a happier workplace

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• probably the single most effective shift in mindset has been the growing number of organisations that base their incentive schemes and merit salary increases on INNOVATION rather than merely productivity

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Donor HARMONISATION

• Oceania receives quite a bit of attention from the more developed and affluent countries

• Most of these Pacific Islands are quite dependant on aid

• Need for a roundtable of the Pacific media and development partners to discuss and agree on more effective use of aid.

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THANK YOU