Malaysia hosts key summit on the future of journalism in Asia
PETALING JAYA, Malaysia (ANN/THE STAR) – The Asia News Network (ANN), a regional media alliance, marked its 25th anniversary at the Asia News Network Summit 2024, co-hosted by Star Media Group (SMG) and Sin Chew Daily (Sin Chew). Held in Malaysia for the first time, the four-day summit, from September 4 to 7 at Hilton Petaling Jaya, brought together 20 media organisations from across Asia.
With the theme “The Future of Asia”, the summit addressed the challenges facing the media landscape, the need for strengthening journalistic professionalism, and deepening regional collaborations. This year’s summit holds particular significance as it celebrates ANN’s silver jubilee, a milestone since its founding in 1999 with the mission of “Bringing Asia Closer.”
Highlighting the Malaysian government’s support for media ethics and professionalism, Communications Minister Fahmi Fadzil graced the summit’s key dialogue sessions. These discussions covered a range of pressing topics, including the future of journalism, the rise of digitalisation and artificial intelligence (AI), the potential impact of the upcoming US elections on Asia, and the role of youth in driving economic growth across the region.
Mahfuz Anam, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily Star, Bangladesh and Chairman of ANN, remarked on the increasing global influence of Asia. “Asia is fast becoming the epicentre of innovation and economic growth, with its youth driving stories of hope and progress. The Future of Asia Summit reflects ANN’s mission to share the region’s stories with the world,” he said.
The summit also featured the Asia Dialogue, a full-day panel session exploring key challenges for the media in an era of rapid technological change. Additionally, the event celebrated ANN’s milestone with a special 25th Anniversary Cake-Cutting Ceremony.
Datin Paduka Esther Ng, Chief Content Officer of Star Media Group and Director of ANN, expressed pride in co-hosting the event, saying, “Our participation in ANN has been both beneficial and significant, allowing us to contribute to a more connected media landscape across Asia.” Echoing these sentiments, Kuik Cheng Kang, Editor-in-Chief of Sin Chew Daily, emphasised the importance of amplifying Asia’s media voices.
Founded in 1999 with just nine members, ANN has grown into a leading regional alliance of 20 established media titles, committed to fostering collaboration and sharing editorial content across Asia.
