Niu FM is a pilot National Pacific Radio Network that was created to contribute to reducing disparities and building the capacity of Pacific communities. It has a dedicated Pacific listenership who appreciate its "Pacificness". It has a wide appeal and has made headway towards being an important vehicle of communication for Pacific peoples.
Niu FM operates in a fragmented marketplace where radio broadcast is defined by age specific segments. In this competitive environment, consumers tune into radio stations that closely meet their needs. Niu FM caters for a broad range of listeners of varying ages, ethnicities and languages. It is the only national Pacific network of its kind. Currently it has no national competitors, although there are regional competitors who tailor their services to particular Pacific segments.
As a publicly funded entity, Niu FM is charged with the responsibility of meeting Government's objectives. These include linking Pacific communities, contributing to the maintenance of language and culture, growing the pool of Pacific broadcasters and supporting Pacific music and artists. A primary function that Niu FM performs in meeting Government's objectives is providing a range of programmes and announcements in at least seven Pacific languages.
Niu FM has a broad range of listeners to whom it needs to communicate government messages. Providing messages in Pacific languages ensures that, if they choose to listen, the estimated 40% of the Pacific population who speak a Pacific language as a first language can understand significant messages conveyed by government about matters such as health, education and safety. The remaining 60% of the Pacific population with English as a first language can also understand these messages in English. Some listeners surveyed claim that they have accessed government services after hearing about them on Niu FM. However there was some evidence to indicate that Niu FM could provide further promotion of its services to government agencies.
Responses to the listener survey suggest that Niu FM gives them a sense of connectedness to their community. This is achieved by talk back on air, the promotion of Pacific events nationwide and regional and international news bulletins. It was also conveyed that by showcasing Pacific role models and broadcasting messages about Pacific success stories, Niu FM is contributing to raising Pacific peoples' sense of confidence and achievement. These can be key drivers for community action. Awareness raising about government services, according to a key informant, strengthens Pacific communities.
Public radio can be an important element in the survival of at-risk languages. It is becoming widely known that the Niuean language is at risk and that other Pacific languages like Cook Islands Maori are also a concern. The seven evening language programmes provide the opportunity for people to hear and speak their own Pacific language. They also provide the opportunity for those who wish to improve their language use. Language exposure and learning is reinforced by short 'Lock Into Your Language' segments throughout the day. Some listeners conveyed that the quantity and quality of the evening language programmes require review. According to respondents, Niu FM gets the balance right by providing programmes in English and Pacific languages.
Growing the pool of Pacific broadcasters is critical for Pacific radio given the limited supply. Improving broadcasting talent will also improve the quality of the programmes and presentation and ultimately increase the station share. According to Niu FM staff and management, Niu FM is developing Pacific broadcasters by providing in-house training and by supporting a work experience programme for youth. Participation in this programme has led some young people to pursue tertiary level training in radio broadcasting. Staff and management say that in-house coaching from experienced radio announcers has enabled Niu FM to develop 'home grown' radio presenters.
In addition to the in-house training mentioned above, Niu FM acknowledges that ongoing professional training is needed in order to maintain broadcasting standards. They say this has been limited to date due to lack of resources. Increased resources would enable regional community broadcasters to be included in the training. They in turn could share their skills and knowledge with others and help to build Pacific broadcasting capability.
According to Niu FM, support for Pacific music and artists is achieved by playing Pacific music throughout the day. They say that at least three Pacific tracks are played per hour. Niu FM also helps some Pacific artists to become established by launching their albums and promoting their music. Music artists that Niu FM has supported include 6 Pound, Sara Jane Auva'a, DI Entertainment and Adeaze. Evidence supports that Niu FM has been instrumental in providing critical exposure for aspiring musicians.
Broadcasting commentators thought that Niu FM is being asked to be all things to all people. There was strong support for how well Niu FM has done given these broad expectations. The evaluation findings highlighted that age was the most significant factor in determining listener preferences. This reinforces the importance of age as a primary determinant for defining target audiences for radio broadcast.
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