Jakarta (ANTARA News) - News agencies from across the Asia-Pacific region were Wednesday urged to innovate and take advantage of new technology to help their journalism reach a wider audience.
The general assembly of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) adopted a "Jakarta Declaration" in which they agreed to work "to maintain credibility as primary sources of news and information," according to a copy seen by AFP.
Some 40 news agencies across 33 countries are members of the group, which was set up in 1961 with the sponsorship of the UN cultural agency UNESCO to promote the exchange of news among national agencies in the region.
Jakarta-based UNESCO official Linda Santiago Posadas noted in an address to the meeting that technology had given journalists powerful tools, new media and wider platforms to deliver information.
"I call upon you to seize the opportunities that these developments offer to bring about a spirit of innovation among your ranks that will see media professionals reach more people," Posadas said.
Developments could also help the media produce information "in new and interesting ways ... as well as demonstrate the practice of universal values like tolerance, fairness and mutual understanding," she added.
OANA members include agencies from a broad range of countries, such as Australia, Cyprus, Japan, North Korea and Thailand.
Iran and Turkey proposed hosting the next assembly, which is held every three years, with delegates voting in favour of Turkey, an AFP correspondent said.
Incoming OANA head and Antara chief Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf said Tuesday that a key project for his term would be expanding the organisation's web-based wire service, which can be accessed and re-published for free by member agencies.
The declaration wrapped up two days of talks between OONA members in Indonesia.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.