There is an increasing demand for media communication infrastructures, operations and programs in the Pacific countries; the upgrading of equipment, the establishment of more efficient radio, television and print media structures and systems, and the improvement of local program productions, as well as on developing human resources to cope with emerging needs. UNESCO’s regular programme activities in the Pacific Member States have been focusing on building endogenous capacities to increase local media production and to promote programme exchange among small island states with similar cultural traits. Among the 14 projects currently carried out in the region through UNESCO’s International Programme for the Development of Communication (IPDC, 4 regional projects are implemented in collaboration with intergovernmental and non-governmental organisations. 13 Pacific countries have benefited from regional projects related to journalism training, program exchanges, broadcast development and information networks. The number of projects seeking to take advantage of new communication technologies is on the increase. This is the case with most Pacific radio stations seeking to computerize their newsrooms, in order to increase the flow of news and information through networks. The on-going communication projects can be categorized as follows : Training and training resource development for media professionals 21% Television program and broadcast development 35% Radio Newsroom computerization 35% Newspaper development 9%   UNESCO currently has fourteen Member States in the Pacific, twelve of which are developing, or least developed countries: Cook Islands, Fiji, Kiribati, Marshall Islands, Nauru, Niue, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Tonga, Tuvalu, Vanuatu and Samoa. These island countries are widely dispersed over about 30 million square kilometers of ocean. They are characterized by small land areas, small economies and small populations, ranging from 1,700 to 800,000. The total number of inhabitants is just over 5 million. Resources vary greatly, and so does the state of development of the communication media. Links UNESCO Focus of the Pacific Pacific subregion statistical indicators International Programme for the Development of Communication    Contact: Tarja Virtanen, Regional Communication Adviser for the Pacific, UNESCO Apia Office