Syrian director stresses need for OANA media coordination

Tehran, IRNA – In a situation where independent media outlets are facing growing pressures, the necessity to expand media coordination among members of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) is of great importance, a Syrian manager said. The Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) Director-General Eyad Wannous told IRNA on Wednesday on the sidelines of the 18th General Assembly of the OANA in Tehran on Wednesday that the members of the organization are expected to increase media cooperation to pursue common programs and productions. Wannous also called for increasing media exchanges between SANA and the Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) in order to improve cultural commonalities between the Iranian and Syrian people. The enhancement of media cooperation among independent countries can be pursued via different ways, including holding joint training workshops, in a bid to make public opinion in the world listen to the voice of the voiceless people, he noted. Referring to the propaganda campaign to disseminate fake news in order to trigger political differences among countries and tribes, he said that the OANA members should continue publishing credible news stories to foil media terrorism and terminate enemies’ media monopoly. IRNA hosted the 18th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), which kicked off in the capital Tehran on October 24. In the two-day assembly, around 60 senior directors, managers, and editors from 35 OANA member states discussed various topics, including the development and strengthening of media cooperation. IRNA along with Fars and Mehr news agencies are the three media agencies in Iran representing the Islamic country in the OANA. At the end of the 18th General Assembly of the OANA in Tehran, a final declaration was issued by the members on Tuesday. Members of the OANA in the final communiqué of their meeting in Tehran emphasized the need to use new ways to develop media cooperation plus using new technologies to respond to the needs of the audience. Follow us on Twitter @IrnaEnglish