PACMAS training in TV production
Having first cut his teeth in the Fiji media industry at the formidably green age of 18, Fernando Lobendahn returns to the Cook Islands after a lengthy 15 year sabbatical heading the Pacific Media Assistance Scheme (PACMAS) media training programme covering TV production.
The training is supported by Pitt Media Group and Fiji TV, and covers a wide range of topics including video editing, camera work production, visual projects, timelines, equipment, resources, file management and archiving and also practical sessions.
Lobendahn who first came to Rarotonga in 1997, comes with a wealth of experience. He will conduct a training programme that will see the CITV staff along with the inclusion of Aitutaki TV’s Luke Mateara and Mangaia TV’s Janet Ruatoa and two students undertaking the Media Studies course at Tereora College, partake in the skill upgrading course.
Held at the Parekura Conference Centre, the media training programme officially kicked off on Tuesday morning with participating media personnel attending a four hour seminar followed by in field training to be held over the progressing weeks. Lobendahn suggest that over the span of time spent with staff guiding them will actively teach them the “basics of camera work” but further suggest that each application of learnt techniques is “dependent on the individual’s creativity.”
Throughout his 20 year career Fernando Lobendahn has worked in areas from tape editing and commercial production to producing a historical Fijian programme. However has more recently moved into the training department holding seminars in Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands. For Lobendahn his training dynamics centres round a few focal points, firstly he stresses the importance of individual expression of creativity.
“How you cover a story or a village, that is your identity,” says Fernando, “I’m just teaching you the technical way of doing that. You can adopt a lot of the technical side but most importantly we must remember to tailor our style of coverage to suit the pacific, so how you do that is yours.”
Coupled with technical expertise and creative expression, Lobendahn is an avid believer of sharing ones skills, “Everything I know I’ve shared,” says Lobendahn, “If you share (your skills) you see the development of someone, and now half the people I’ve trained in Papua New Guinea have left the country!” Lobendahn laughs incredulously, however I can’t help but hold him somewhat responsible for the depopulation of PNG’s learned media personnel.-Maria Tanner

Herald Issue 608 21 March
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- Pacific Media Assistance Scheme Seeks Innovation
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