ASEAN media cooperation promoted to enhance ASEAN awareness

Coordinating Forum for ASEAN News Agency with LKBN Antara, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Ministry of State-Owned Enterprises. During Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia continues to promote collaboration among ASEAN news agencies through various channels and opportunities (Photo:antaranews.com)

Jakarta (VNA) -  Through Indonesia's initiative, several representatives of the state news agencies of ASEAN member countries have agreed to continue developing cooperation to enhance the understanding of the region's population regarding ASEAN policies and initiatives.

The consensus was reached at the forum between news agencies which was held online on September 1 by Indonesia’s state news agency ANTARA in collaboration with Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Communication and Informatics.

The forum featured Luis A. Morente, Director of the News and Information Bureau of the Philippines News Agency; Mohd Iswandi, head of Bureau of Bernama of Malaysia; Paul Ravi, Senior Editor of International News at Bernama; Manuel Pinto, President of the Executive Board of the Timor Leste News Agency, and representatives from other news agencies.

Irfan Junaidi, Director of News at the Antara news agency affirmed that collaboration among ASEAN media is crucial to be continuously improved to further open channels of communication among countries in the region through conventional, mainstream, and new media.

He said that throughout Indonesia's chairmanship of ASEAN in 2023, Indonesia has been encouraging collaboration among ASEAN news agencies through various channels and opportunities.

For his part,  Hartyo Harkomoyo, Director for Information and Media at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that information and communication technology has advanced significantly since the official media collaboration in ASEAN in 1989 during the First Conference of ASEAN Ministers Responsible for Information. All sides must harness these developments to enhance ASEAN awareness holistically.

One of the concrete implementations of this collaboration in the near future is the inauguration of the ASEAN Newsroom Corner at the Media Center of the 43rd ASEAN Summit.

In addition, capacity building and training will also be conducted, including workshops, conferences, and competitive activities.

Delegates at the event  discussed the use of new media platforms to inspire the people in the region, thereby making them an increasingly integral part of the ASEAN Community./.