Asia-Pacific news agencies call for enhancing media cooperation, better response to audience' needs

TEHRAN, Oct. 25 (Xinhua) -- The 18th General Assembly of the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) concluded here on Tuesday, with a call for using new ways to expand media cooperation and employing modern technologies to better respond to the audience's needs.

As many as 60 directors, managers or chief editors from 35 member news agencies participated in the two-day event hosted by Iran's Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA).

The meeting issued a final statement acknowledging that media organizations have adopted new strategies and technologies to hedge against the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on traditional ways of coverage, so as to better respond to the audience's needs.

The OANA members will continue sharing experiences and enhance cooperation to acquaint new conditions, fight fake news, and enhance the credibility of reports and news products, the statement said.

Upholding the audience's right of access to accurate information, the OANA members reaffirmed that they will not allow political considerations negatively sway their professional duty to report realities, it said.

It finally stressed that international norms such as national sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries should be recognized, particularly by professional media.

The OANA was founded in Bangkok, Thailand under the UNESCO's initiative in 1961 to secure direct and free exchange of news between the news agencies of a region home to more than half of the world's population, according to its official website.