Regional media bodies for promoting cooperation, minimizing reliance on western news sources

ISLAMABAD, May 13 (APP):International media experts at a conference on Sunday highlighted the importance of promoting cooperation among news disseminating agencies of the Muslim and regional countries to reduce dependence on other news sources, particularly Western news agencies.
Talking to APP here Sunday on the sidelines of a two-day International Conference of News Agencies (ICNA) here, delegates from various Muslim and regional countries said it was need of the hour that news disseminating bodies collaborate and cooperate with each other to cope with the increasing challenges of the world, particularly faced by the developing world.
“Holding of this conference is the best idea as it will unite Muslim countries, especially news agencies at one platform. This practice should continue to usher a new era of cooperation among news organizations,” said Seyed Bahador Hosseini, Bureau
Chief, Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) of Iran.
He said there should be increased cooperation between IRNA and APP, adding that the top management of the two news organizations must visit each other’s organization to upgrade the bilateral news exchange programme on modern lines.
He also highlighted the importance of establishing office of APP and Pakistan Television in Iran, saying that in this information era it was the duty of the media to inform citizens about developments taking place in other countries.
He said Pakistani media was still quoting western news agencies while giving news about Iran saying that it should take news directly from Iranian sources.
To a question, he said that Iran was also eager to join China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project, adding that the Pak-Iran trade also needed to be enhanced from current $1.2 billion to $5 billion.
Director Video News Department, Bulgarian News Agency, Borianka Dimitrova also stressed the need for agreements between Pakistan and her country to enhance information and news sharing.
She said objectivity and reliability were the two main pillars to promote media organizations in the current times; saying that her organization was following these principles that was why it was becoming a leading news disseminating source.
She said the media laws in Bulgaria were actually protecting the media outlets from political and economic influence. She also highlighted the importance of exchange of top level visits to promote cooperation.
Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), Head of English Department Muhammad Mazen Ayon said there was need for connectivity enhancement between national news agencies of the two countries.
He stressed the need for exchanging media visits and signing agreements between the news agencies, adding that since Pakistan had also been facing problems of terrorism, so media of both the countries should cooperate in various fields of information.
Gumel Mekova, Chief Correspondent Azerbaijan State News Agency, said that Azerbaijan had brotherly relations with Pakistan and they wanted to further enhance its bilateral cooperation in all spheres, particularly media.
She said although the media in her country was under government control, but being a democratic country it was free in disseminating news without any bias.
Mohammad Mehdi Rahimi, General Director of Domestic News, Mehr News Agency Iran said that Iran was giving more importance to news from Pakistan as it was its neighboring country, anything happening in Pakistan had impact in Iran.
He said there was need for an agreement between APP and Mehr News Agency to promote exchange of information.Pakistan and Iran were sharing common cultural and religious relations, and Iranian people were eager to know about Pakistan, he added.
Mehr News Agency had also been giving news in Urdu language, and had specified a space for such news.
After two days deliberations on different topics, the conference would conclude on Monday.