SAO PAULO, Nov. 29 (Xinhua) -- Media outlets play a key role in strengthening cooperation between BRICS countries, said the chief of Brazil's financial and agricultural information provider CMA Group.

Correctly ascertaining news of the social and economic activities of the BRICS countries and disseminating that reliable information can help people in Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa expand the understanding of each other, CMA President Jose Juan Sanchez said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

"We are always willing to collaborate with other BRICS media outlets through the exchange of content from these markets," Sanchez said on the eve of the presidium meeting of the fifth BRICS Media Forum, which will kick off on Monday via video link.

Since the launch of the BRICS media platform in 2015, media cooperation among members has continued to deepen through high-level forums, exchanges and joint reporting.

"Having the possibility to disclose content that is provided by reliable sources such as the vehicles that are part of the BRICS is a resource with high added value in the view of the CMA Group," he added.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the press in BRICS countries has the important mission of investigating and reporting on development and measures to combat the pandemic, Sanchez said.

Seeing that the on-the-ground journalism has been compromised due to the pandemic, he suggests journalistic training programs be conducted virtually.