Fr Ambrose Pereira, the editor of Salesian Bulletin, produced by the Catholic Church for its readers stressed the need for media literacy to be taught in secondary schools as a way to prepare young people for a career in Journalism.

A crucial point raised by the clergyman is for PNG to prepare for the advancement of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Fr Ambrose emphasized this at the recent public inquiry into the role and impact of Media in Papua New Guinea which was set up by the Permanent Parliamentary Committee on Communications on 21st – 23rd May 2024.

The Committee claims the objective is to improve the standard of Journalism in PNG, restoring the integrity of Journalists and the ethics of Journalism.

The committee’s terms of reference included misinformation, disinformation and sensationalized reporting, the role of media organizations, regulatory standards and the question of whether Media Freedom exists in PNG.

While mainstream and social media influencers presented their cases before the committee, they were also encouraged to make recommendations. The general feeling among media workers is the need for media education.