FSM Public Information Office Brings Back the National Union

Press Release #0409-44
Palikir, Pohnpei – FSM Information Services
April 29, 2009

On May 8th, 2009 a familiar newsletter that has been absent for many years will return to the public hands containing news from the National Government.  The National Union, a biweekly publication highlighting the top news stories that come out of the FSM Public Information Office will go back to print.  Special Assistant to the President and Public Information Officer, Mr. Patrick Blank has revived the National Union “to inform those citizens of the FSM that do not have access to the internet to view our press releases.”  Currently, FSM PIO sends out daily news via an email distribution list and by posting news articles to their website at fsmpio.fm and to the MicSem Forum, which allows for discussion of the topics.  “Although we are reaching a lot of people through our current methods of distribution, we are not reaching a majority of the general public who don’t have a computer,” Mr. Blank noted.  The PIO plan is to disseminate 1000 copies of the National Union newsletter to the four FSM States; 400 copies to Chuuk, 300 to Pohnpei, 200 to Yap and 100 to Kosrae, to begin with. 

Since they are working on a budget that was not created with the National Union in mind for funding, they have been able to fund the printing and mailing of the newsletter through the savings the PIO has realized by streamlining its internet usage.  “We are saving $400-500 a month on our new internet set up and this has allowed us to find money to pay for the newsletter in our current budget.  President Mori’s goals of increasing efficiency and cutting costs have motivated us to be more creative in using our resources, and getting information out to the public is our number one initiative.  If we can increase the number of people getting our news, without increasing our expenditures, then we have really done something special,” Mr. Blank noted.

“We are encouraging anyone who has access to the internet to visit our website and to sign up for our daily news distribution list.  It’s as simple as sending an email to fsmpioweb@mail.fm and asking to be put on the list.  Once you do that, you will begin receiving daily news releases from the PIO that will keep you informed of what’s going on in the FSM Government.  “We still have a long way to go to capture all the activities worthy of being reported, but we have come a long way in just a few months, and bringing the National Union back is a big step in increasing our readership.” Mr. Blank stated.

Those who remember the National Union from before will appreciate the nostalgia of the publication.  At one time, before the internet was available in FSM and there was no Kaselehlie Press, the National Union was the only source of information on the goings-on in the FSM.  “With its revival, we are also going to be renaming the newsletter.  Anyone with a suggestion for a new name should email it to fsmpioweb@mail.fm.  In July, we will post the submissions on our website and encourage people to vote for the new name.  Until then, we hope you enjoy seeing the National Union back in print.”