Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 9, Number 2, 1 February 1992 — Pacific Island communicators form group [ARTICLE]

Pacific Island communicators form group

Pacific Islanders in Communications (PIC), a newly formed public broadcasting consortium, is searching for an executive director to head the organization. Funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, PIC was created to assist indigenous Pacific Islander film and videomakers produce programming for nahonal broadcast. The group strives to enhanee the public's knowledge about the people and cultures of the Pacific Islander including PoIynesia, Micronesia and Melanesia.

Onee an executive director is in plaee, a staff consisting of an associate director and office manager will be hired and a permanent nahonal office will be set up in Honolulu, according to Lurline McGregor, interim executive director. The non-profit organization is one of five nahonal public broadcasting minority programming consortia eligible for funding by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The others include The Native American Public

Broadcasting Consortium, The National Asian American Telecommunications Association, The Nahonal Black Media Programming Consortium, and The National Latino Communications Center. Among the projects planned by PIC are to award research and development grants to assist Pacific Islander film and videomakers in developing program concepts. F*roduction grants to aid producers in complet-

ing and marketing productions will also be awarded. Other goals set by the organization will be to sponsor production internships and award scholarships to Pacific Islanders, and conduct production workshops to enhanee skills.

Another future activity is to develop and produce a program series by Pacific Islanders. Eventually, the group also plans to provide training for production opportunities in public radio, independently produce programming for public television, and offer assistance to film and videomakers in the job market. The history of PIC dates back to September 1990 when the Pacific Islander Task Force was

formed. After completing a variety of projects, the group evolved into the Pacific Islander Media Working Group, whieh took the final steps in building the foundation for PIC.

The group's nine-member board consists of Hawaiians Martha Carrell, president, Heather Giugni, vice-president, Lurline McGregor, interim executive director, and David Kalama; Samoans Sandy llaoa, secretary, Kilali Alailima, treasurer, and Solomona Aoelua; and Chamorros Carol Ann Ibanez and Mark Forbes. Those interested in applying for executive director or have questions about the position, should eall 595-8198 or write PIC at 733 Bishop Street, #170-92, Honolulu 96813.