JOHANNESBURG, Nov. 30 (Xinhua) -- Media outlets play a significant role in promoting people-to-people exchanges among BRICS countries, an expert has said.

In a recent interview with Xinhua, Trust Matsilele, journalism lecturer at Cape Peninsula University of Technology in South Africa, said while trade and economic cooperation among BRICS countries has received adequate coverage in the media, the coverage of cultural exchanges remains insufficient.

Matsilele said the media play a role in highlighting for the public the cultural uniqueness of the BRICS countries, which include Brazil, China, India, Russia, India and South Africa.

The promotion of cultural exchanges among BRICS countries also has its economic benefits, he said.

"I think one of the most important things is that people-to-people cooperation can translate into improved economic trade," the expert said.

Matsilele also pointed out that recent years have witnessed deepening media cooperation among BRICS countries, adding that a growing number of Chinese and Russian media outlets have sent their reporters to South Africa.

The call for increased media coverage of cultural exchanges came ahead of the virtual fifth BRICS Media Forum on Monday.