David Robie is a New Zealand author, journalist and media educator who has covered the Asia-Pacific region for international media for more than two decades. http://www.davidrobie.org.nz He became an associate professor in Auckland University of Technology

Auckland University of Technology

The Auckland University of Technology is a university in New Zealand. It was formed on 1 January 2000 when the Auckland Institute of Technology was granted university status. Its primary campus is on Wellesley Street in Auckland's Central business district...

 School of Communication Studies in 2005. http://www.aut.ac.nz/schools/communication_studies/research/staff/david_robie.htm In 1985, Dr Robie sailed on board the Greenpeace eco-navy flagship Rainbow Warrior

Rainbow Warrior (1978)

The Rainbow Warrior was a former UK Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food trawler later purchased by the environmental organisation Greenpeace...

 for 10 weeks until it was bombed by French secret agents in New Zealand’s Auckland harbour.http://www.asiapac.org.fj/PJR/issues/back95/95rainbow.html He is the author of a book about the ill-fated voyage, Eyes of Fire: The Last Voyage of the Rainbow Warrior (Lindon Books, 1986). http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/david_books.html#EYES A new memorial edition of Eyes of Fire was published in July 2005 (Asia Pacific Network). http://www.southpacificbooks.co.nz/robie.asp

In 1993-1997, Robie headed the University of Papua New Guinea

University of Papua New Guinea

The University of Papua New Guinea was established by ordinance of the Australian administration in 1965. This followed the Currie Commission which had enquired into higher education in Papua New Guinea...

 journalism programme and in 1998-2002 became coordinator of the University of the South Pacific

University of the South Pacific

The University of the South Pacific is a public university with a number of locations spread throughout a dozen countries in Oceania. It is an international centre for teaching and research on Pacific culture and environment. USP's academic programmes are recognised worldwide, attracting students...

 journalism school http://www.usp.ac.fj/journ/ where his students covered the 2000 George Speight

George Speight

George Speight , occasionally known as Ilikimi Naitini, was the principal instigator of the Fiji coup of 2000, in which he kidnapped thirty-six government officials and held them from May 19, 2000 to July 13, 2000...

 coup d'état in Fiji

Fiji

Fiji , officially the Republic of Fiji , is an island nation in Melanesia in the South Pacific Ocean about northeast of New Zealand's North Island...

. http://journalism.uts.edu.au/archive/coup.html In 1999, Robie became the annual Australian Press Council Fellow. http://www.presscouncil.org.au/pcsite/activities/fellow.html He is founding editor of Pacific Journalism Review

Pacific Journalism Review

Pacific Journalism Review, founded at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994, is a peer-reviewed journal covering media issues and communication in the South Pacific, Asia-Pacific, Australia and New Zealand. Since 2002, it has been published by Auckland University of Technology's School of...

. http://www.pjreview.info, which was launched at the University of Papua New Guinea in 1994. In 2005, he won the PIMA Pacific Media. Freedom Award http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/HL0510/S00121.htm and is now director of the Pacific Media Centre

Pacific Media Centre

Pacific Media Centre is part of the Creative Industries Research Institute at AUT University in Auckland, New Zealand. It was founded in 2007 with a mandate to develop media and journalism research in New Zealand, particularly involving Māori, Pasifika, ethnic and vernacular media topics...

http://www.pmc.aut.ac.nz. Dr Robie is author of several books on South Pacific media and politics http://www.asiapac.org.fj/cafepacific/resources/david_books.html, including Mekim Nius: South Pacific media, politics and education. http://www.ejournalism.au.com/duffield.pdf

External links

• David Robie's Cafe Pacific media and politics web blog http://cafepacific.blogspot.com/
• David Robie's Asia-Pacific current affairs web portal http://www.asiapac.org.fj/
• Research profile at AUT University http://www.aut.ac.nz/schools/communication_studies/research/staff/david_robie.htm
• Journalism school training newspaper Te Waha Nui, http://www.tewahanui.info/ at AUT University.
• "Young and brave: In Pacific island paradise, journalism students cover a strange coup attempt for course credit." - IPI Global Journalist, September 2000 http://www.globaljournalist.org/archive/Magazine/young-20003q.html