Interview with Mavis Podokolo and Cynthia Seda, SIBC

MICHELLE ROWLAND, MINISTER FOR COMMUNICATIONS: Hello, everyone, I’m Michelle Rowland, Australia’s Minister for Communications, currently in Solomon Islands. I am thrilled to be visiting Solomon Islands, my first time here, and delighted to be part of this radio show. Usually, I’m the one being interviewed so this makes a great change. Now, can I ask each of you to please introduce yourself and the media organisation you work for.

MAVIS PODOKOLO, JOURNALIST: Thank you so much, Minister for Communications, Honourable Rowland, for having us today. My name is Mavis Nishimura Podokolo and currently, I’m working with Island Sun Newspaper. It is one of the print media newspapers in the Solomon Islands and I started off my media career way back in 2016 and this year will be my eighth year working in the media industry of Solomon Islands. Thank you.

ROWLAND: That’s great to hear. And Cynthia, tell us something about yourself.

CYNTHIA SEDA, JOURNALIST: I’m so honoured to meet you today, minister. My name is Cynthia Seda and I worked for SIBC five years now. It’s the only national broadcasting radio in the Solomon Islands.

ROWLAND: Fantastic. Now, Mavis, you recently visited Australia with some colleagues to undertake media training and cover the FIFA Women’s World Cup. How would you describe it and what did you learn from the ABC team?

PODOKOLO: Thank you so much. The FIFA Women’s World Cup is historic eye‑opener for me. Something that surprises me and [indistinct] me facts about people, especially the participants, the speakers, the players, the trainers, because we are from different multicultural – diverse group of women that [indistinct]. Also, not only that, but I have learned about the World Cup as well. How I feel to be feeling the excitement of sitting inside the stadium or the arena during our two weeks in Brisbane, it is an opportunity or an achievement that I’ll forever treasure in my life.

ROWLAND: That’s fantastic to hear. And what a pleasure to have been there. They were the hottest tickets in town. Everyone wanted to go and you got to be part of it, so that is absolutely fantastic. Now, Cynthia, how would you describe your experience and what did you learn from the ABC team?

SEDA: Thank you. Well, personally for me the opportunity given to us by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation International Development was, like, a really first time for me and it’s actually the first time for me to go outside of the country. To be able to be part of the World Cup and then also meeting different other women is just an incredible amazing time for me, being able to, you know, just connect and sharing information with other women from around other Pacific countries and also the First Nations Women, getting to know their different cultures. It’s just an incredible time for myself and my other colleagues that have also been part of the training. But from what I learnt out from the trainings offered by ABC is actually more important for me because I see this as a way forward for me not only for the Pacific Games but also in moving women in sports reporting, especially commentary for the Solomon Islands.

ROWLAND: Fantastic. Can you tell us what was the main highlight of the program in Australia for you?

SEDA: Well, for me the highlight would be able to know the different cultures coming from different places, like in Philippines. We also had a female participant from the Philippines and she actually shares, like, the different cultures they have and compared to us in the Solomon Islands it’s, like, really different. Just being there, getting to know them, getting to share with them is an incredible time together with women and learning from each other.

ROWLAND: Amazing. And, Mavis, how will you apply what you learned to reporting on the Pacific Games here in Honiara in November?

PODOKOLO: Thank you. When it comes to the Pacific Games 2023 I’ll apply the acquired skills and knowledge from this specific training to cover different games not only for print media but also online and radio platforms to keep our sports audience informed and updated on the current Pacific Games that will be happening in November.

ROWLAND: Terrific. Now, Cynthia, historically, women have been denied a role in sports reporting and here in Solomon Islands, football has been considered a male sport. You were playing a part in correcting this and creating space for women. Do you think the FIFA Women’s World Cup and having women reporting on it will inspire more women and girls to take up playing football and sports reporting?

SEDA: Definitely, minister. I see reporting in the FIFA World Cup and being part of the recent training that ABC partnered with, you know, FIFA and overseas definitely encouraging more women. Because, you know, in Solomon Islands we’ve had a lot of interest. There is a lot of interest in football when it comes to women in football in the field and off the field, but it when it comes to reporting it’s slightly lack of empowerment for women and girls in reporting, and not only that, but also in commentary for football. Because in Solomon Islands we have, like, only one female doing commentary for sports.

I think with the recent participation that I had with ABC and FIFA, that definitely would be changing from now on, as I see this as inspiration for more women because, you know, when I got back from the training and there’s a lot of my friends that come over and say, “Hey, what’s it like to be part of the training and going to the World Cup?” You know, it’s FIFA World Cup. Like, yeah. So, it’s a really interesting question coming in from many of my friends not only outside of work but in the media industry as well. Definitely [it] will inspire more women and girls going into sports reporting and commentary.

ROWLAND: I think you’re right. Finally, for both of you, Cynthia and Mavis, who is your favourite Matilda team member and why?

SEDA: Thank you. I think for me I would go for two. There are two favourite players for me from the Matildas. First is Mary Fowler because she is actually – you know, she carried the flag of the Pacific people into the field of the FIFA World Cup and I’m surely inspired by her role model and being herself there in the field, not only playing but also off the field. She had a lot of support coming in from her mother’s side in the Pacific, which I’m really proud of and appreciated. The other one is the captain, Sam Kerr, because, you know, after the game she actually came up with the initiative to take a lot of, you know, three‑to‑six‑year‑olds probably and teach them a lot of soccer skills, football skills.

ROWLAND: Fantastic. And you, Mavis?

PODOKOLO: Thank you. I think for me it is the same as Cynthia’s: Sam Kerr and Mary Fowler. I think, for Mary, she’s representing Pacific Islands, and having her playing in the FIFA Women’s World Cup it’s like I’m a proud Pacific Islander here. Seeing someone from the Pacific flying the Pacific flag and PNG is close to Solomon Islands so having Mary running inside the field, being part of the World Cup is like – it’s a wow. It’s a wow factor. 

ROWLAND: Look, I’ll have to agree with you, as someone of Fijian background, Sam Kerr really – everyone inspired by her, but also Mary Fowler. I completely agree. Fantastic. Well, thank you both. It’s been a pleasure talking to you both today and all the best for your futures and thank you to all of the listeners out there across Solomon Islands.