The head of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, Mark Scott, has highlighted the growing appreciation of public broadcasting in the rapidly changing media environment.
Speaking at the Pacific Media Summit in Vanuatu, Mr Scott likened the ABC's perception to that of the judiciary as being a trusted and impartial institution.
He says while being funded by the state, the broadcaster is independent, prompting a Samoan TV executive, Faiasea Matafeo, to ask how such a stance can be replicated in Pacific Island countries.
"How can we make our governments realise that funding media organisations does not mean that they have to dictate the content, and in particular the news."
Samoan TV executive Faiasea Matafeo
