Salome Seinafolava is flying the Samoan flag at the inaugural Pacific Women in Media Conference this week, joining more than 50 female media professionals from across the region.

The two-day event, organised by Women in Media Fiji in partnership with the Fijian Media Association.

The conference addresses key challenges facing the industry, including the transition to digital media, maintaining ethical reporting standards, and increasing women's representation in media leadership roles.

The young journalist said she was gaining valuable skills in digital storytelling, investigative reporting techniques, and newsroom leadership.

"The training has been incredibly practical," Seinafolava noted.

"I'm learning techniques I can immediately apply to improve my reporting and help train other journalists in Samoa."  

A significant focus of the event has been creating networks among Pacific women journalists, with Seinafolava having established connections with counterparts from Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, and other island nations.

Seinafolava also stated that she's ready to implement what she has learned from the summit when she returns to Radio Polynesia, where she's been working as a journalist for the past three years.

Plans include a series of workshops in collaboration with the Journalism Association of Samoa to train local journalists in digital reporting methods, and a new mentorship program for young women entering the profession.

These initiatives aim to address specific challenges facing Samoa's media sector, including limited training resources and the need for more women in leadership positions.