Durban - The 6th BRICS Media summit ended on a successful note yesterday, with media houses from the bloc countries as well as those from the potential expanded grouping discussing issues in the industry.
About 200 deputies from around 100 media outlets, think tanks and international organisations from about 30 countries held discussions under the theme, “BRICS and Africa: Strengthening Media Dialogue for a Shared and Unbiased Future”.
Industry players discussed the exchange of ideas and knowledge, how to promote cross-border collaboration and the need to support local content development.
The sixth forum, co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and the China Energy Investment Corporation (China Energy) as well as organisations from South Africa, aims to promote practical co-operation among BRICS media outlets
Xie Songxin, chief and editor of China Daily Africa Bureau, said media in BRICS countries must foster open dialogue between governments, civil society, business and local communities.
“There must be the promotion of cross-border collaboration to share success stories and we must support local content development.”
Xie said it was crucial for content to be relevant so that it resonated with African audiences.
Zhanna Tolstikova, CEO of the International TV BRICS Network, said international co-operation would strengthen relations among the bloc’s countries.
“There is a lack of African news in the global feed and there is simply not enough to shape each country’s agenda.”
She said BRICS had its own vision for a global audience and from an African
perspective, this included stories on the continent’s economic agenda, solutions it provided to challenges and stories on the challenges being faced.
Elizaveta Brodskaya, first deputy editor-in-chief for news of RT, said the banning of the news organisation at the onset of the Russia Ukraine conflict, meant it was difficult for an alternative viewpoint to be made.
“It is important to discuss the steps that need to take place to make our own platforms because we need to do more … our voice will not be heard if we do not have our own platforms.”
Jose Juan Sanchez, chief of Brazil’s financial and agricultural information provider, the CMA Group, stressed the importance of credible and impartial news information.
Helio Doyle, president of the Brazil Communication Company, said the BRICS Media Forum had made significant contributions in amplifying the international voice of member states and promoting globalisation.