Cabinet Okays Radio Pact

* Pacific Media Watch Online: http://www.pmw.c2o.org

SUVA: Fiji's interim government has approved an operational agreement covering the establishment of the headquarters of the Pacific Islands Broadcasting Association (PIBA) in the country, the Daily Post reports.

Under this agreement, the Fiji government will recognise PIBA as a regional non-government organisation and will give it privileges to facilitate its headquarters in Fiji.

Information Minister Ratu Inoke Kubuabola will sign the operational agreement on Fiji's behalf.

PIBA relocated its headquarters from Vanuatu to Fiji in 1998 but had not been formally recognised [in Fiji] as a regional body. It had therefore not been accorded any company benefits.

It is an association of broadcasters in the region and the umbrella body of PACBROAD and PACNEWS.

PIBA operates under clear partnership guidelines and seeks to work very closely with other related regional organisations such as Pacific Islands News Association (PINA), the Media Centre of the Pacific Community and the Journalism Programme of the University of the South Pacific (USP).

PIBA also facilitates the participation of Pacific nations in the Asia-Pacific regions' broadcasting progress through the Asia-Pacific Institute of Broadcasting Development (AIDB) programme.

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