Transcript
Tongan academic Sitiveni Halapua, who has spent a lot of time in the remote Niua Islands in Tonga's north, say short wave is important for giving people an understanding of what is happening outside their immediate communities. He says modern technology cannot fill the gap.
"We talk about social media, internet and other forms of modern technology, of communication, but in fact most of these, if not all, are not available, not accessible to the outer islands and that makes the radio to remain the number one. So I think and I believe it is not really good news."
A commentator on Pacific issues says while the media landscape may be changing the Pacific is being short-changed by the ABC decision. Tess Newton-Cain of TNC Pacific Consulting says it raises several concerns.
"I don't think it is a good idea to shut down the shortwave service at all, and if it does have to be shut down it is definitely not a good idea to be shutting it down in the middle of cyclone season because for a lot of people, particularly in rural areas, they rely on that service to get any information about what is happening in terms of weather systems, preparedness, response whatever."
Tess Newton-Cain says it is all very well to talk of modernisation but with the vast majority of people in Pacific nations living in rural areas access to digital technology is poor or non-existent.
"In some parts of Vanuatu in order to get access to a signal people have to get in a boat and go 100 metres out to sea, on order to pick up a signal from a transmitting tower. In order for them to access internet streaming services that assumes that they have sufficient disposable income to buy expensive packages, and for a lot of people that is not realistic. So the only thing that services those populations effectively is shortwave radio."
Sean Dorney is noted Australian journalist who has covered stories all over the Pacific, working for much of that time for the ABC's international arm, Radio Australia. He can't believe the move.
"There seems to be a belief in the ABC in Sydney that there is no one living in the Pacific let alone listening to shortwave radio. And for instance my wife is from Manus in Papua New Guinea, Manus Island. Her brother who lives in the village still listens to Radio Australia on shortwave so there is a listenership out there. I think this is probably a money saving venture but I think this is a very very sad decision, especially for those people in the Pacific who have relied, quite considerably over the years, on Radio Australia."
The ABC is joining a number of other international broadcasters in dropping the service but RNZ International is continuing to maintain Pacific-wide shortwave transmission.
