India to host 15th Asia Media Summit from May 10

With the theme, Telling Our Stories Asia and More', India is hosting the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) Kuala Lumpur for the first time.

Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani would be presiding as the chief guest over the inaugural ceremony of the summit on May 10.

Over 200 foreign delegates representing 39 countries and over 100 Indian delegates would participate in the event, the ministry said in a release.

The summit would encourage regional and bilateral dialogue and cooperation to respond to challenges to the broadcasting sector in the region. It would provide a unique opportunity for broadcasters in the Asian region to share their thoughts on software and hardware aspects of broadcasting, the ministry said in a release.

The summit will be hosted by the Information and Broadcasting (I-B) Ministry, jointly with the Indian Institute of Mass Communication (IIMC), and public-sector firm Broadcast Engineering Consultants India Ltd (BECIL).

The dignitaries attending the summit include Bangladesh Information Minister Hasanul Haq Inu, Cambodia Information Minister Khieu Kanharith, and Korea Communications Commission Standing Commissioner Sam Seog Ko, the release said.

Abbas Naseri Taheri, Director General, International Department and Advisor to President, Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB), Iran and Shigeru Aoyagi Director, UNESCO, New Delhi Office would also be present at the inaugural function, it added.

Participants would represent organisations like ministries responsible for information and broadcasting in the Asian region, international organisations UNESCO, FAO, UN; regulators; radio and television broadcasting companies and television channels, it added.

In the concluding session, World Television Awards 2018 would be presented by Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore.

The closing ceremony would witness the handing over of the baton for hosting the next summit to the Philippines.