THE COOK ISLANDS
By Trevor Pitt, Managing Editor, Cook Islands Herald
24 February 2003

Unlike many Pacific Islands States, the newspaper industry in the Cook Islands is completely privately owned. In October 1989, the then Government privatised its newspaper arm of the statutory corporation, which had managed the broadcasting and print media. Today, the local market - mainly the island of Rarotonga with a population of about 8,000 - supports one daily newspaper, the Cook Islands News, and two weekly publications, the Cook Islands Herald and Cook Islands Independent. The latter papers are part of the Elijah Communications media group, which owns and operates television and radio while an expatriate couple owns the daily newspaper. All newspapers can be found on line.

Private ownership of newspapers in this small market remains characterised by deep divisions and a sharp, competitive edge for advertising revenue and information. There is no cooperation on any level in terms of the industry's regulatory controls, development, or training. There are two separate media associations and the media council has been defunct since 1997.

The year 2002 was marked by the entry of the Independent onto the local newspaper scene. With a strong focus on political commentary, this weekly helped pioneer the present lobbying for political reform. It has also been the target of threats from Government. As a result, the newspaper has adopted a zero tolerance policy on threats and strengthened its ties with the Commonwealth Press Union and Regional news organisations. Last year, the Herald benefited from a CPU-sponsored Regional workshop on managing newspapers in Small Islands States.