PacificAus TV is a programming service funded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade providing a feed of programs from Australian commercial television networks, backed by FreeTV Australia. Broadcasters receive a 24-hour feed of the channel, which is encrypted and reserved for use to the members. The signal is delivered through the Intelsat 19 satellite.
As of March 2026, eighteen broadcasters in twelve countries are members of the service.
History PacificAus TV was created in 2020 as an Australian soft power initiative to counter the rising influence of China in the region. It was first announced in May that year with the first target countries being Papua New Guinea, Fiji and the Solomon Islands. Vanuatu, Kiribati, Tuvalu and Nauru would follow later. This involved an initial three-year period where 1,000 hours worth of programmes would be screened in the region.Joint Media Release: Australian content boost for audiences in the Pacific The service reportedly started on 8 June, when Fiji's Mai TV began carrying its programmes.Mai TV To Feature Australian Shows
In September 2024, Cook Islands Television, Vaka Television and TV Niue started airing its output.Australia : Cook Islands and Niue gain access to PacificAus TV. (2024, Sep 28). MENA Report
In September 2025, a deal with Football Australia was inked, valid until year-end 2027.FOOTBALL AUSTRALIA AND FREE TV EXTEND PARTNERSHIP
Criticism The primary goal is to promote the true image of Australia to the Pacific, which differed from the one provided by Neighbours and Home and Away, where the households depicted in the soaps were a pipe dream for most Australians, less so for the Pacific nations, where the population is relatively poorer. The selection of some shows was also criticised by Kate Clayton in a 2022 article, such as Better Homes & Gardens being selected even when climate change hampered the Pacific islands, while Border Security, criticised for its depictions of Pacific Islanders denying entrance into Australia, was removed after airing in the initial line-up.Televising Australian Soft Power in the Pacific
Member broadcasters As of March 2026: + List of PacificAus TV members Member Country or territory Year it joined Mai TV Fiji 2020 Fiji Television Fiji 2020 Fiji Broadcasting Corporation Fiji 2020 Kiri One TV (Wave TV) Kiribati 2020 Nauru Television Nauru 2020 National Broadcasting Corporation of Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea 2020 EMTV Papua New Guinea 2020 Telekom Television Solomon Islands 2020 Tuvalu.TV Tuvalu 2020 Vanuatu Broadcasting and Television Corporation Vanuatu 2020 TV1 Samoa Samoa 2021 EFKS TV2 Samoa 2021 TV3 Samoa Samoa 2021 Tonga Broadcasting Commission Tonga 2021 Cook Islands Television Cook Islands 2024 Vaka Television Cook Islands 2024 Broadcasting Corporation of Niue Niue 2024 Rádio e Televisão de Timor-Leste Timor-Leste 2025
References
External links