Book review: The Pacific Journalist: A Practical Guide

Robie, David (ed) (2001) The Pacific Journalist: A Practical Guide, University of the South Pacific. ISBN 9982-1-3851. 372 pp. Reviewed by John Herbert Countries in the developing world need their own books— urgently. What was needed, I said, was a series of books that gave students in countries such as Hong Kong, China and the South Pacific their own books on the practice of journalism, with their own examples, laws and ethics, their own cultural differences highlighted, and, where necessary in their own languages; or at least in English but with local situations and journalistic problems explored and explained. The Pacific Journalist: A Practical Guide seeks to fill this vacuum in the South Pacific. As Robie says in his acknowledgements, “.. to help address this need, I have gathered a group of contributors, both working journalists and editors and others who have spent years in journalism education and training in the region, to share their insights and experience.”