ABC Radio Australia is experimenting with new connection methods by launching a WhatsApp channel for their Pacific audience.
Across the next six months the network will share the latest regional news, interviews, music and sport in the channel including their programs Pacific Beat and Nesia Daily.
Meta launched the channels feature on WhatsApp in September 2023. The platform is popular in the Pacific with one of the key differences between WhatsApp and other social channels is that the news publisher and other users can’t see what you follow, what you’ve liked or what you’ve been reading. It further allows followers to receive one-way messages from channels they follow meaning interactions can be kept to a minimum plus it comes with many phone plans and is inexpensive.
If you are looking for the channel function, it is not part of the direct messages. You can find it under the Updates tab – see below.

You can sign up to the ABC Radio Australia WhatsApp channel via the QR code found here.
The recent Federal Budget saw the ABC receive an additional $14 million investment over two years to maintain its expanded services across the Pacific region as well as facilitate the further creation of content and regional media partnerships throughout the Indo-Pacific.
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