BRICS media houses to form wire service

The heads of various BRICS country media outlets, including Chris Borain, CEO of the African News Agency (second from right) and Jimi Matthews, head of news of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (far right), following the signing of a cooperation agreement in Moscow.

The heads of various BRICS country media outlets, including Chris Borain, CEO of the African News Agency (second from right) and Jimi Matthews, head of news of the South African Broadcasting Corporation (far right), following the signing of a cooperation agreement in Moscow.

Published Oct 8, 2015

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Moscow – The heads of the BRICS countries’ leading media outlets, including the African News Agency (ANA), have signed letters of intent to create a BRICS newswire and radio broadcaster to provide comprehensive coverage of a “multi-polar world”.

The agreement was signed at the BRICS Forum entitled “Towards Creating a Common Information Space for the BRICS Countries” in Moscow on Thursday.

The African News Agency is one of the founding media outlets, along with the Sputnik News Agency and Radio (Russia), Empresa Brasil de Comunicação media corporation (Brazil), the Sahara Samay News (India), the Xinhua News Agency (China), China Radio International and the South African Broadcasting Corporation (South Africa).

ANA CEO Chris Borain said: “This is a very significant development for the BRICS members and its associated media outlets as we look to deepen relationships, explore new opportunities for growth and development, and exchange ideas around matters of common interest.

“The world is constantly shifting and is a very different place today than a decade ago,” Borain said. “The BRICS countries are well-placed to help shape the world agenda and to impact meaningfully on the political, economic and societal landscape.”

Borain said the inclusion of ANA, which only came into operation earlier this year, was testament to the growing standing of the news organisation on the continent, and now beyond.

A number of bilateral agreements on information exchange were signed at the forum between the various news agencies which will provide for the prompt exchange of information.

Rossiya Segodnya Director-General Dmitry Kiselev, who opened the forum, said: “Information exchange between the BRICS countries is taking on a whole new meaning in the current geopolitical situation. A dialogue with our colleagues opens new horizons for cooperation and promotes synergy between the five countries.”

Shamsher Singh, Editor of Current Affairs for India TV, said: “Media plays a big role in any society, and we will expedite it with our member countries in a very constructive way.

“Though BRICS are very different countries, but have many common goals. This media forum will help to march towards achieving these goals. In one line BRICS is a small club with huge agenda.”

Denize Bacoccina of the Empresa Brasil de Comunicação media corporation in Brazil, said: “It’s very important for the BRICS to create a space to exchange information and increase knowledge from one another, especially if the information comes directly from the source. In Brazil we can benefit from a better understanding of the realities of China, Russia, India and South Africa.”

During the forum, participants discussed the priorities and mechanisms for shaping a common media space within the BRICS countries.

Experts analysed political, economic, technological, and national specifics for media development, cooperation between the media and the state, between journalists and the public, and the role of the media in international relations, and within the context of integration.

African News Agency

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