Independent, investigative islands

Stay focused: For Cook Islanders, 2022 started with more
rough weather - and a reminder we need independent news. 

video / alistair macquarie  

#behindthescenes

by Jason Brown

 “Fighting fake news, misinformation and disinformation via media literacy”, was one early description for our new press. 

Feedback from associates, colleagues, friends and family found that description lacking — both negative, and dull. 

Perhaps, they suggested, a better description might include a vision.

Such as “..independent, investigative, islands ..” for example. 

That one been mulled over for quite some time now. 

See our informal “about” page, written in #behindthescenes styles.

Overall, feedback has been cautiously supportive towards this so-far 18 month-long soft launch. Agreement with the relaunch of Cook Islands Press as an idea, but hopes that lessons have been learnt from company insolvency last time. 

Otherwise?

Among Cook Islands communities worldwide, there not just hunger but a thirst for ‘real’ journalism.

Not #fakenews
Not #publicrelations 
Or #communications 

Old-school journalism that sticks to the facts, and newsrooms that don’t play favourites — such as skewing public poll results, or flat out lying about poll numbers.

But will we last?

With even less start-up capital than nearly three decades ago, Cook Islands Press will no doubt face scepticism.

Deserved scepticism, for an outlet relaunching with the same name as a long defunct Sunday newspaper. One that failed with some nzd$150,000 debts owing.

All readily admitted at the time, however shamefully. 

So why would this attempt be any different?

Learning from mistakes, for one. 

Rather than a private company operating in financial secrecy, Cook Islands Press relaunches under an open newsroom concept. 

Using non-profit tools to ensure funding transparency means Cook Islands Press readers, subscribers, 

What does all that mean, exactly?

Still working out the details, ourselves.

Since last year, though, Cook Islands Press has 

 —  officially registered with New Zealand government as a sole trader under the name of the refounder
 —  officially registered as a non-profit at a charity funding hub, Open Collective
 —  officially registered a new Cook Islands Press domain
 —  officially registered a new email, editors@cookislandspress.org  
— soft-launched social network sites, at Facebook, Twitter, and now here on Medium
 —  online tested web3 social media such as minds.com, diaspora, manyverse
 —  online tested web3 privacy options for chat, file transfer, and hosting
 —  online reviewed source protection to update CIJA confidentiality clauses
 —  sought colleague feedback on issues related to refounding a legacy title online

There’s a lot more to come on our mission towards islands kept safe by independent investigations, including ever increasing emergency responses to #climatecrisis.