World Media Summit calls for 'accurate, objective, impartial' news coverage

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2009-10-10 16:48

BEIJING: Leaders and representatives of media organizations worldwide on Saturday urged media outlets to provide "accurate, objective, impartial and fair" coverage of news events on the globe.

World Media Summit calls for 'accurate, objective, impartial' news coverage

A staff member of the World Media Summit reads the joint statement during the summit at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, on Oct. 10, 2009. The joint statement of the World Media Summit was issued here Saturday morning calling for "accurate, objective, impartial and fair" news coverage. [Xinhua]

The global media organizations made the call in a joint statement issued here Saturday before they wrapped up a three-day World Media Summit.

According to the joint statement, representatives of 170 worldwide media organizations attending the summit also hoped that media organizations around the world will promote transparency and accountability of governments and public institutions, and facilitate the mutual understanding as well as exchange of views and ideas among peoples from different countries and regions.

Media representatives agreed that the world is undergoing complicated and profound changes, noting the economic globalization, the information explosion, and the prevalence of new communication technologies, plus the diversity and integration of world cultures, have provided great opportunities for global media development.

The changes also "set up an important platform" for media organizations to cover world events and global issues, the statement said.

"We hope all forms of media which are playing an important role in global media development, to seek common development by deepening cooperation between each other, learning from each other, drawing on each other's experiences and complementing each other with new ideas," it said.

Chinese President Hu Jintao attended the summit's opening ceremony Friday and delivered a speech. He urged the global media to use their distinctive assets and advantages to convey the messages of peace, development, cooperation, mutual benefit and tolerance. He also encouraged exchanges and cooperation among media outlets on the basis of equality, mutual benefit and trust.

Valery Levchenko, deputy general director of the Russian News and Information Agency, said the summit helped deepen understanding among different media groups and created opportunities for their future cooperation.

"There are always cooperation and competition both at the same time. It's wonderful to have a lot of good partnership. And obviously partnership has to be shared in both directions," said Eric Morrison, president of the Canadian Press.

"One of the summit's theme is win-win. So if you need a partnership, it must be work for both partners," he said. "Such summit is always useful in a world that is so well connected for people to continue to discuss things absolutely."

Launched at the joint proposal of Xinhua News Agency, News Corporation, The Associated Press, Reuters, ITAR-TASS, Kyodo, BBC, Turner Broadcasting System and Google, the World Media Summit was hosted by Xinhua and held in Beijing from Oct. 8 to Oct. 10.

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