BBC media survey confirms Vanuatu’s shift to digital news consumption

November 17, 2025 10:48 pm | Posted in Business News | Share now TwitterFacebook

By Staff Reporter.

Vanuatu’s first comprehensive independent media survey has confirmed a significant shift in the way Ni-Vanuatu access news, with digital platforms and radio emerging as the most relied upon media sources nationwide. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)-supported study provides clear evidence that audiences are not consuming less news—they are consuming it differently.

While print newspaper sales have declined in line with global trends, readership remains strong online.

The Daily Post, Vanuatu’s only daily newspaper, has embraced this shift through the Daily Post Digital Network, which now attracts more than 300,000 monthly page views from Vanuatu and abroad.

The report indicates that 94 percent of mobile phone users in Vanuatu have internet access, with 82 percent reporting access at home. This mobile-first environment is driving rapid growth in digital news consumption, especially via social media platforms where audiences often encounter Daily Post reporting.

The research also highlights the increasing time Ni-Vanuatu spend on mobile phones, the high cost of maintaining connectivity, and gaps in rural network coverage.

Digital Growth, Podcasts and National Radio Reach

Since launching the Daily Post Digital Network in 2022, Trading Post Ltd. has expanded its digital footprint with six integrated platforms: DailyPost.vu, Vanuatu Business Review, Buzz FM Online, FM107 Online, and What To Do Vanuatu.

These platforms deliver real-time news, business updates, entertainment and tourism information across Vanuatu and internationally.

Video content and audio programming now play a larger role in the Daily Post’s digital offering.

Popular shows such as Kava mo Kajap and new sports analysis segments have attracted strong engagement, helping redefine the way Ni-Vanuatu consume local journalism online.

Beyond digital platforms, free-to-air radio continues to serve as one of the most widely accessed media channels across the islands. Capitol FM 107, owned and operated by Trading Post Ltd., is noted in the survey as one of Vanuatu’s most listened-to stations, especially in rural communities where internet access remains inconsistent.

“By bringing our print, digital and radio brands into one integrated media network, we offer unparalleled reach to advertisers,” said Peter Stadly, Director of Business Development at Trading Post Ltd. “Our platforms now touch readers, viewers and listeners from Luganville to Lenakel and across the world.”

The survey confirms that the Daily Post and Radio Vanuatu remain among the most trusted media brands nationwide. As audience habits evolve, the Daily Post continues to adapt while maintaining its core mission: to inform, connect and serve Ni-Vanuatu wherever they live.

Sources

• BBC Media Action – Audience Research: Understanding Media Habits and Preferences of Ni-Vanuatu (Nov. 2025).

• Daily Post Digital Network Launch – Press Release (June 2022).

• Daily Post Website Analytics Report – March 2022.