The PNG Media Summit 2026 officially opened in Port Moresby today at the Crown Hotel, bringing together journalists, editors, media leaders, government representatives, students, and pacific delegates to discuss the future of journalism in Papua New Guinea (PNG) and the region.

Hosted by the Media Council of Papua New Guinea (MCPNG) and organized by Women in Media PNG, this year’s summit builds on the success of its inaugural event and expands its reach regionally, coinciding with preparations for the 2027 National General Elections and upcoming World Press Freedom Day celebrations.

Opening the summit, President of the Papua New Guinea Media Council, Neville Choi spoke on key topics for the media industry, including strengthening mainstream media as trusted and verified sources of information amid the growing spread of misinformation and AI-generated content online.

 A major focus of this year’s discussions is newsroom preparedness for the 2027 elections, emphasizing fact-checking, verification, investigative reporting, and newsroom training in artificial intelligence detection tools.

“In preparation for the elections, and to ensure the mainstream media is ready for them, we in the media have prioritized focus on factchecking and verification, investigative reporting, and building the capacities of our mainstream media newsrooms in understanding AI, the tools available to detect AI content, and to include this in every day newsroom processes,” he said.

Additionally, a special session featuring PNG social media content creators is also scheduled, to bridge conversations between traditional media and digital content creators.

This year’s summit also marks PNG’s role in leading regional World Press Freedom Day celebrations throughout the Pacific, with visiting journalists from several pacific island nations participating both in person and online.

The summit continues throughout the day.