OANA News Agencies Call On Governments To Protect by Journalists

HAINAN (China), Dec 3 (Bernama ) -- The Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA)'s 57th Executive Board meeting was held here on Wednesday, focusing on AI and media transformation, as well as the safety of journalists.

In his opening remark, Xinhua News Agency President Fu Hua said AI has tremendous impact on the media industry.

"With AI everyone can write. But how are we going to differentiate between the fake news and real news," he said at the Boao Forum for Asia held in the southern most province of China.

Xinhua, he said, was currently using more than 200 tools to develop and improve accuracy in news, adding that it was ready to share and collaborate with OANA member agencies.

The meeting also called for the safety of journalists, especially those working in trouble spots and covering military conflicts.

"Journalists on the frontlines are performing a public service, countering misinformation, and upholding the fundamental human right to know. The protection of journalists' rights must remain one of the priorities of government institutions in all countries," OANA said.

The two-day meeting was chaired by OANA President and Director General of the Russian News Agency TASS Andrei Kondrashov.

The 57th Executive Board meeting was attended by board members from 10 news agencies, including Malaysian News Agency (BERNAMA) which was represented by its Chief Executive Officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin and Editor-in-Chief Arul Rajoo Durar Raj.

The Executive Board also decided that Qatar News Agency and Vietnam News Agency will host the 58th and 59th meetings respectively next year.

Established in 1961 on UNESCO's initiative, OANA brings together 42 news agencies from 35 countries in the Asia-Pacific region and its members are responsible for two-thirds of information circulated throughout the world.

-- BERNAMA