Media in BRICS countries must rise up to severe challenges brought by new technology and also deal with concerns over declining advertisement revenue, a senior leader of China's rulingCommunist Party said today.
BRICS, the five-member grouping of emerging countries comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa has emerged as an important force on world stage but the media cooperation among these countries is lagging behind, Liu Yunshan, member of the powerful seven-member Standing Committee of the CPC headed by President Xi Jinping said.
He underlined the need for media outlets to strengthen cooperation, understanding and friendship between the people of the five countries.
"Severe challenges have been brought by new technology especially the internet technology," he told 25 media representatives from the five countries at the Great Hall of People here.
He said the drop in revenue from advertisements has become a major cause of concern for media organisations and this has been accentuated by the new media coming with technological advances and giving more options to the public.
Media organisations should conduct regular exchanges to build a base for information-sharing and people-to-people communication in order to promote development of partnership among BRICS countries.
The first-ever BRICS Media Summit will be held here tomorrow under the theme of "Innovation, Development, Cooperation and Trust".
Liu said BRICS is an important force for international relations and a positive builder of the international system.
It aligns with the trend of the times and benefits the people to form a BRICS community of common interests.
China is ready to work with other BRICS countries to deepen substantial cooperation in all areas and promote the establishment of a four-pronged partnership -- safeguarding world peace, boosting common development, promoting diversified civilisation and strengthening global economic governance, he said.
Chairman and Publisher of The Hindu group, N Ram who is also co-chairman of the BRICS Media Summit being organised by China's Xinhua news agency, said the forum is a platform for sharing experiences and discussing ways to deal with emerging challenges, including integration of traditional and new media.
