Guests from global media outlets shared their insights on how new technology is shaping the future of storytelling at the 12th Global Video Media Forum (VMF) that opened in Quanzhou City of east China's Fujian Province on Tuesday.
The two-day event gathered around 200 representatives of 87 media organizations from more than 60 countries and regions in the coastal city of Quanzhou, which is known as an historic trading port and UNESCO World Heritage site.
Hosted by the CCTV Video News Agency (CCTV+) under the theme "Intelligence Without Frontiers, Vision Beyond The Horizon -- Media's Role in Communication and Cultural Exchange," the forum saw in-depth discussions on the application and governance of artificial intelligence technologies in the media sector.
In a speech at the opening ceremony, Liu Linshuang, a member of Standing Committee of the Quanzhou Municipal Party Committee and director of the Publicity Department of Quanzhou, said the historic port city of Quanzhou has brought together diverse cultures and served as a meeting point for the exchange of Eastern and Western civilization for centuries. He said the city looked forward to deepening communication and cooperation with media partners through the VMF, while exploring new opportunities for cultural exchanges.
Ahmed Nadeem, Secretary-General of the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union, said that the media holds unparalleled power to bridge divides by transcending language and geography barriers, and said media outlets should shoulder their responsibilities to help guide positive transformations in an era of technological change. While adopting new technologies such as artificial intelligence, Nadeem stressed the importance of ensuring authenticity, respecting cultural nuances, and fostering deeper understandings, so as to maintain trust and credibility among audiences.
Meanwhile, Abdelrahim Suleiman, Director General of the Arab States Broadcasting Union, said that against the challenging backdrop of frequent conflicts and wars in today's world, media organizations should consider how they can collectively make new contributions to advancing world peace, stating those outlets have the ability to build bridges of friendship and dialogue between different cultures.
In his speech, Jason Subler, Global General Manager of the Reuters news agency, also noted that AI is regarded as a game-changing tool and is serving as transformative force reshaping media practices but emphasized that maintaining trust is critical to global audiences.
Also addressing the forum was Ian Phillips, Director of the News and Media Division of the United Nations Department of Global Communications, who said the news media must collaborate more closely in order to prevail during these exceptionally hard times. He stressed that in an increasingly polarized world, the media must act with integrity and stand up for the most vulnerable people around the world.
Speaking via a video message, Fabrice Fries, Chairman and CEO of France's AFP news agency, said the VMF has created the opportunity for international media workers to exchange ideas and experiences with their global counterparts, and to address the various economic, social, and technological challenges which are taking place.
The forum also hosted a series of sub-sessions such as "How New Technology Empowers the Media" and "People-to-People Communication and Cultural Exchanges Opens Up New Horizons for International Communication", which saw discussions delving into topics such as the application and governance of AI in the media sector, creating innovative platforms for communication using intelligent technologies, and building a brighter future for the digital civilization of Global South countries.
Launched by CCTV+ in 2011, the VMF has grown into a premier platform for media professionals from around the world to discuss the latest trends in video content communication and innovation, while the event also aims to foster greater interaction and collaboration between domestic and international media.
Global media representatives share insights on how new technology shapes storytelling
Global media representatives share insights on how new technology shapes storytelling
