Pacific Media organisations meeting in Solomon Islands recently agreed to establish a Pacific Media Ombudsman by World Press Freedom Day 2014.
Pacific journalists were in the Solomons capital Honiara for World Press Freedom Day 2013.
The founding members of the Pacific Media Ombudsman mechanism are the Cook Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga and Vanuatu.
The regional media networks who attended, the Pacific Islands News Association, and the Pasifika Media Association, offered their support in principle.
The delegates agreed that media standards, ethics and conduct protocols at a national and regional level require effective enforcement.
The independent Pacific regional media complaints process will provide a step forward in addressing gaps and challenges at national levels.
A taskforce has been established to set up a Pacific Media Ombudsman system over the next six months, and be operational by May next year.
