ABC Radio Australia launches Pacific Break 2010
MELBOURNE – Today Radio Australia announced the launch of Pacific Break for 2010. Now in its third year, Radio Australia’s Pacific Break – the search for the best original, unsigned musical talent of the Pacific – has proven immensely popular with Pacific audiences and impressed at this year’s Association of International Broadcasters (AIB) Media Awards in London, winning the international award for “Most Creative Marketing Strategy”.
Last year Emmanuel Mailau from PNG won the competition with his song “Children” which was inspired by observations of poverty in the settlement he resides in outside Port Moresby. “I think I’m starting to realise that I’ll be a role model for people on the settlement so they can see that they have the talent and that their talent can make them become somebody else,” said Emmanuel after winning the award and performing live at Fest’napuan.
His entry was hugely popular with both the judges and the listening audience as was the winning entry for Pacific Break in its inaugural year 2008, ‘Broken Promises’ by Vanuatu band 26 Roots.
Pacific Break continues to grow, spanning five time zones and five months and is well supported in its search for unsigned musical talent by Vanuatu’s annual pan-Pacific music festival, Fest’napuan, providing the winning artist(s) an opportunity to showcase their musical talents, and play live in front of thousands at the event.
Radio Australia Chief Executive Hanh Tran said, “Last year we celebrated our 70th year of broadcasting internationally and unique projects like Pacific Break continue to demonstrate that our speciality is about connecting with audiences in our region.”
Radio Australia’s 24 hour FM network now transmits across 11 Pacific urban centres providing the unique ability to broadcast simultaneously into these localities, supported by a dedicated online presence.
Pacific Break materials both past and present can be viewed at: www.radioaustralia.net.au/pacificbreak