BRICS discuss media cooperation

Delegates from the five BRICS countries have gathered in South Africa to discuss ways to strengthen the BRICS narrative and enhance media cooperation.

Delegates from the five BRICS countries have gathered in South Africa to discuss ways to strengthen the BRICS narrative and enhance media cooperation. [Photo: China Plus]

The 2018 BRICS Media Forum has gathered representatives from 48 media organizations from the BRICS countries as well as several African countries including Liberia, Kenya, and Tanzania.

The 2018 BRICS Media Forum has gathered representatives from 48 media organizations from the BRICS countries as well as several African countries including Liberia, Kenya, and Tanzania. [Photo: China Plus]

The meeting has been held under the theme of "BRICS Media Cooperation - Fostering an Inclusive, Just World Order."

In-depth exchanges have been carried out during the two-day event, covering the media's role and responsibility in strengthening the BRICS narrative, measures to enhance new media cooperation in BRICS countries, and more.

BRICS Media Forum Executive Chairman and Xinhua News Agency President Cai Mingzhao says media has an important role to play to promote cooperation - especially regarding people to people exchanges among BRICS countries.

"Media from the BRICS countries shoulder the common responsibilities in speeding up information sharing, promoting mutual understanding and strengthening the voice of BRICS countries in the world. We are facing the common task of working out the principles for BRICS media to report stories so as to deepen the cooperation of the BRICS. "

BRICS Media Forum Executive Chairman and Xinhua News Agency President Cai Mingzhao. [Photo: China Plus]

Xinhua News Agency has invested one million U.S. dollars to boost media cooperation among BRICS countries.

Iqbal Surve, executive chairman of Independent Media Executive Chairman Iqbal Surve, also a co-chair of the forum, says one of the main objectives of the BRICS Media Forum is to help people achieve their development goals.

"Our BRICS Media Forum is not just simply about media entities from the BRICS countries coming together and simply exchanging ideas. It is about the very practical way to deepen the cooperation between our companies, our media entities and of course, our countries, in order to achieve much better economic and social development for all our people in our countries."

Nomvula Mokanyane, Minister of Communications of South Africa, has given her support for new media, asking BRICS countries to make good use of social media platforms

"The media organizations in the BRICS would make the biggest difference if they succeed in getting people talking whether face to face or across virtual networks. Admittedly, social media enable such discussions, broadening them beyond geographically defined communities and existing editorial agendas. Clearly, if we want to forge cooperation within the BRICS block, it is inconceivable that we ignore social media platforms"

This is the third edition of the media dialogue - the largest so far - and the first time it's been held outside of China.

An action plan has been released at the event with participants vowing to promote cooperation.