JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) -- The Sixth BRICS Media Forum wrapped up on Sunday in Johannesburg, South Africa, with participants calling for strengthening the voice of developing countries and promoting wide-ranging cooperation among the BRICS media.
About 200 representatives from around 100 media outlets, think tanks and international organizations from about 30 countries held discussions under the theme of "BRICS and Africa: Strengthening Media Dialogue for a Shared and Unbiased Future."
Media outlets of BRICS countries bear significant responsibilities in this era and enjoy vast room for cooperation, said Fu Hua, president of Xinhua News Agency, at the opening ceremony of the two-day forum.
To advance the high-quality development of cooperation among BRICS media, Fu, also executive chairman of the BRICS Media Forum, proposed promoting the shared values of humanity, jointly advancing the building of a more just and equitable international order, better narrating BRICS stories in the new era, and jointly promoting cultural exchanges and mutual learning among civilizations.
Media outlets around the world spoke highly of the consensus and initiatives raised by the participants at the event.
The forum presented an opportune moment for BRICS nations to showcase their commitment to media ethics, truthfulness and inclusivity in a world where fake news and fast news is encroaching on reality, said a report released by Independent Online (IOL), one of South Africa's leading news and information websites.
The forum was held at a pivotal moment to emphasize press freedom, combat misinformation, promote media diversity, foster technological cooperation and address global challenges, the IOL reported, noting that "in so doing, BRICS countries can collectively shape the future of global journalism."
Although there are many positive stories, for example, on what is happening in the African continent, Western media coverage always takes an editorial line that shows Africa as a continent of misery caused by hunger, poverty, disease, war, AIDS and so on, said Africa-China Review, a Rwanda-based news website.
The Daily Trust newspaper, a daily news outlet in Nigeria, stressed the importance of building partnership among media organizations of BRICS and other developing countries.
Leaders and delegates attending the forum have called for closer ties and partnerships to ensure sustainable development in Africa and the BRICS community, the newspaper reported.
According to a report from Russia's TASS news agency, the forum is tasked with supporting the BRICS media in taking concerted actions with the African media based on the principles of common development and mutual benefit.
Faced with radical changes unprecedented in the past 100 years, the world expects to hear a stronger voice of BRICS countries and witness their more important role in promoting global multipolarity, economic globalization and democracy in international relations, TASS reported.
Media outlets of BRICS countries should work hand in hand with the African media to demonstrate the responsibility for their common mission and pledge to create a strong synergy to strengthen public opinion, build consensus among the media in emerging market economies and developing countries, and expand the influence of the BRICS, the agency said.
The BRICS Media Forum was proposed by Xinhua News Agency in 2015 and jointly initiated with mainstream media outlets from Brazil, Russia, India and South Africa.
The sixth forum, co-hosted by Xinhua News Agency and the China Energy Investment Corporation (China Energy) as well as organizations from South Africa, aimed to promote practical cooperation among BRICS media outlets. ■
