COOK ISLANDS: PM announces plans to create media council

Prime Minister Robert Woonton says he has asked Sir John Jeffries, chairman of New Zealand's Press Council, to help establish a similar council in the Cook Islands

Pacific Media Watch
Tuesday, April 13, 2004

AVARUA, Rarotonga (RA News Online/Pacific Media Watch): Prime Minister Robert Woonton says he has asked Sir John Jeffries, chairman of New Zealand's Press Council,  to help establish a similar council in the Cook Islands.

Dr Woonton says he made the request as a result of serious concerns about media standards in his country.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister has announced plans to set up an interim broadcasting board to make media companies meet the provisions of the Broadcasting Act.

However, he says the board is only a temporary measure until a media council can be established:

Our concern, not only government but also other media groups, is that there is no broadcasting standard that's acceptable to everybody.

The government is looking at introducing a similar control as in New Zealand - for some kind of standard that respects the individual, and respects common decency. That's what we are looking at in our own media.

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Date Posted: 4/13/2004