It is probably too late for the recently concluded Pacific Games, but television viewers in Samoa will soon see rugby matches and major local events in high definition, after TV1 officially announced the launch of the country's first high definition mobile broadcast truck.

Prime Minister Tuilaepa Dr. Sa'ilele Malielegaoi, speaking during his weekly program, hailed the introduction of the $2.5 million tala "TV1 OBTV" truck as a step forward for local media while wishing that the technology had been brought in earlier. 

The new truck is equipped with cameras and broadcasting equipment for covering and broadcasting live events in Samoa.

TV1 Samoa Chief Executive Officer, Galumalemana Faiesea Matafeo, said the improvement in equipment will enable viewers to watch better quality production from locations beyond the TV1 studio.

"The truck is for outside broadcasts and it is in high definition; it is better quality than standard definition we are using right now," she said. 

"[The truck] will be used to film national events such as the Teuila Festival, international rugby matches, independence celebrations and all other events that TV1 is filming and broadcasting live".

P.M. Tuilaepa noted that despite its arrival being a significant step for the broadcasting company, the truck arrived late to the party, in a reference to this month's 2019 XVI Pacific Games.

The Government awarded host broadcaster rights for the Games was to the Singapore-based Melanesian Media Group (M.M.G.).

"I thank TV1 for the great initiative," the Prime Minister said. "[But] if they had brought in their big changes earlier, we would not have recruited [technology] from overseas.

"Your equipment just arrived when it should have been ordered a long time ago,.

"The bringing in of the overseas broadcasters, that took over the business made [TV1] angry but there is no one to blame but themselves because the Government had already given them their trust to run the TV."

P.M. Tuilaepa added that media competition would spur local broadcasters to improve their services, when they see overseas broadcasters take the lead in a major event.

"The truth is we have always needed this service and that is the reason why the Government decided to privatise it and give it to those who are more knowledgeable about TV.

"During big games like the Manu Samoa [vs. the] All Blacks, we didn’t have this equipment to broadcast these to the world, we try to go overseas to get it because of the lack of these technologies in Samoa, but now we have it.".