Leaders of Asia-Pacific news agencies gather for media summit

The four-day meeting, held under the theme of "challenges and opportunities for news agencies" brought together about 90 leaders from 44 news agencies of 35 countries, Yonhap said.

The summit meeting, which is the largest official event in the history of OANA, also commemorates Yonhap's 30th anniversary, as the leaders will discuss the changing landscape of media's role and exchange views on future strategies of news agencies.

"This meeting will be a great opportunity for news industry leaders to exchange views on how to expand cooperation among regional newswire services, especially in today's rapidly changing industry environment spurred by the digital revolution," Park Jung- chan, President and CEO of Yonhap News Agency said.

The summit will also provide a chance to promote the G20 summit scheduled for November in Seoul, as 11 member countries of the G20 will be represented at the event, Park said.

Representatives from China's Xinhua News Agency, Japan's Kyodo News, the Information Telegraph Agency of Russia (Itar-Tass), the Australian Associated Press and Indonesia's Antara News are scheduled to attend the event, with members from the Federation of Arab News Agencies, the European Alliance of Press Agencies, the Association of Balkan News Agencies, and the Alliance of Mediterranean News Agencies participating as observers.

The OANA was formed in 1961 on the initiative of UNESCO to secure direct and free exchange of news between the news agencies of a region with more than half of the world's population. At present OANA brings together 40 news agencies from 33 countries, according to OANA's website, Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com