Round-up of BRICS Media Forum in Beijing

BRICS Media Forum opens in Beijing

The opening ceremony of the BRICS Media Forum is held in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2017. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

Leaders of 27 media organizations from BRICS countries met to discuss cooperation at the BRICS Media Forum, that opened in Beijing Thursday.

The forum, with the theme "Deepening media cooperation among BRICS countries, promoting equity and justice in international media," was proposed by Xinhua News Agency and jointly initiated with Brazil's CMA Group, Russia's Sputnik News Agency and Radio, the Hindu Group of India and South Africa's Independent Media.

Presidium meeting of BRICS Media Forum approves action plan for cooperation

Cai Mingzhao (C), president of China's Xinhua News Agency and executive president of the BRICS Media Forum, poses for a photo with Jose Juan Sanchez (2nd L), president of Brazil's CMA group, Oleg Osipov (2nd R), first deputy editor-in-chief of Russia's Sputnik News Agency and Radio, Mukund Padmanabhan (1st R), editor of India's The Hindu, and Zenariah Barends (1st L), chief of staff of South Africa's Independent Media, after a presidium meeting of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

The Action Plan to Strengthen Cooperation Among BRICS Media was passed Wednesday at a presidium meeting of the BRICS Media Forum held in Beijing.

"The action plan will demonstrate our consensus in the following four aspects: to promote strategic partnership among BRICS countries, to build a fairer international communication order, to fulfill media social responsibilities, to expand exchange and cooperation among BRICS media," said Cai Mingzhao, president of Xinhua News Agency, while briefing the meeting.

"The action plan also shows our strong desire to carry on a six-point mission through joint efforts: to strike a balance in international communication, to strengthen media's sense of social responsibility, to promote people-to-people exchanges, to expand scopes of cooperation, to jointly develop BRICS digital media and to provide financial information services," Cai, also executive president of the BRICS Media Forum, told the meeting.

Cai Mingzhao, president of China's Xinhua News Agency and executive president of the BRICS Media Forum, presides over a presidium meeting of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Liu Qibao addresses opening ceremony of BRICS Media Forum in Beijing

Liu Qibao, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the committee's Publicity Department, addresses the opening ceremony of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2017. The forum opened here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition kicks off in Beijing

The opening ceremony of "Golden BRICS Shining into Future -- BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition" is held in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

People visit the "Golden BRICS Shining into Future -- BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition" in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. The exhibition kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

BRICS media open photo exhibition in Beijing

Cai Mingzhao (2nd R, front), president of Xinhua News Agency, and other delegates visit the BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. The exhibition, hosted by Xinhua News Agency and kicking off here on Wednesday, displays more than 170 photos. (Xinhua/Wang Ye)

The BRICS Media Joint Photo Exhibition opened Wednesday at the National Museum of China in Beijing to show the development and cooperation of BRICS.

As part of the two-day BRICS Media Forum starting Wednesday, the exhibition themed "Golden BRICS shining into the future" consists of four parts: BRICS leader meetings, landscapes, cultures and lives, as well as cooperation and exchanges.

The exhibition, hosted by Xinhua News Agency, displays more than 170 photos spanning over half a century, selected by media exhibitors and from Xinhua's China Photo Archive.

"As the BRICS cooperation enters a second decade, the launch of today's photo exhibition ... is our tribute to the decade-long BRICS cooperation, and symbolizes our best wishes for its future," said Cai Mingzhao, executive president of the BRICS Media Forum and president of Xinhua News Agency.

"As information providers and cultural-exchange envoys, BRICS media organizations have stepped up cooperation to expand bilateral and multilateral exchanges, disseminate information, and strengthen friendship, and served as bridges in BRICS cooperation," Cai said. "As we review history and look forward to the future of BRICS cooperation, we will understand better the convergence and integration of BRICS civilizations, and gain more confidence in our future cooperation and common development."

It is a good opportunity to attend the event as it will contribute to strengthening the partnership between news agencies, said Motshwari Mofokeng, a photographer of Independent Media in South Africa. One of his displayed photos features a heavy traffic jam in Durban, South Africa.

The BRICS Media Forum has attracted leaders of 27 media groups from Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa, including Correio Braziliense, Russia Today TV, the Hindu, China Daily and Independent Media.

The attendees will discuss topics including multimedia innovation for media development, as well as media outlet duties and social responsibility.

Cai Mingzhao (3rd L, front), president of Xinhua News Agency, and other delegates visit the BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. The exhibition, hosted by Xinhua News Agency and kicking off here on Wednesday, displays more than 170 photos. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

People visit the "Golden BRICS Shining into Future -- BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition" in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. The exhibition kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Shen Bohan)

People visit the "Golden BRICS Shining into Future -- BRICS Media Joint Photography Exhibition" at the National Museum of China in Beijing, capital of China, June 7, 2017. More than 170 photos of the mainstream media groups of BRICS countries, including Brazil,Russia, India, China and South Africa, are displayed during the exhibition, to show the development and cooperation achievements of BRICS. The exhibition kicked off here on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Jin Liangkuai)

China Focus: Media leaders pledge contribution to BRICS cooperation

Liu Qibao (C), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the committee's Publicity Department, addresses the opening ceremony of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2017. The forum opened here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

Leaders of 27 media organizations from BRICS countries Thursday promised to deepen cooperation and contribute to the BRICS framework at the ongoing BRICS Media Forum.

The forum, with the theme "Deepening media cooperation among BRICS countries, promoting equity and justice in international media," was proposed by Xinhua News Agency and jointly initiated with Brazil's CMA Group, Russia's Sputnik News Agency and Radio, the Hindu Group of India and South Africa's Independent Media.

Liu Qibao, member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the committee's Publicity Department, urged BRICS media to promote win-win cooperation and push the international order in a fairer and more reasonable direction while addressing the forum.

"Sharing a common destiny, BRICS countries form not only an interconnected community of interests, but also a community of joint actions," said Liu.

"There are misinterpreting and misreading voices in international public opinion that are skeptical of the development prospects of BRICS countries and even BRICS itself," said Liu, urging BRICS media to maintain composure and consolidate confidence, and pass on the message of confidence in BRICS countries' development.

Liu called for pragmatic cooperation among BRICS media, including conducting joint interviews on major topics, promoting cooperation in information services, professional training, human resources and think tank exchanges, as well as sharing experiences in meeting the challenges of the Internet and promoting integrated media development.

Delivering a keynote speech at the opening ceremony, Cai Mingzhao, president of Xinhua News Agency and executive chair of the forum, urged efforts to enhance solidarity and practical cooperation among BRICS media.

Cai said Xinhua will provide 1 million U.S. dollars to establish the BRICS Media Fund for the implementation of the Action Plan to Strengthen Cooperation Among BRICS Media and carrying out pragmatic cooperation, including exchanges of visits, professional training and joint interviews.

The plan was passed at a presidium meeting of the forum Wednesday.

Cai said the participating media organizations all agree to select news stories for the BRICS news reporting award, and continue to hold joint photo exhibitions.

"Xinhua would like to host the first event for selecting BRICS news reporting award winners, and help other BRICS media to prepare the second joint photo exhibition," Cai said.

According to Cai, participating media organizations agree to explore cooperation in areas such as integrative development, video, new media and social media.

Last year, Xinhua established the cooperative and sharing platform "On-Scene Cloud," which can offer its members media content, channels, technologies and other services. "We are willing to open that platform to BRICS media free of charge," he noted.

Cai said Xinhua is willing to provide funding to invite 20 BRICS media reporters every year to visit Chinese media and exchange views with them, and do news reporting in China.

Zenariah Barends, co-chair of the forum and chief of staff of Independent Media from South Africa, called for more efforts in developing solutions to the current narrative which focuses on the negative side of BRICS countries.

BRICS media have the huge role in telling the amazing stories, not only what the BRICS structures are doing, but also the important life-changing stories happening in these countries, said Barends.

Liu Qibao (C), member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and head of the committee's Publicity Department, poses for a group photo with guests and delegates before the opening ceremony of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2017. The forum opened here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xie Huanchi)

BRICS media forum ends in Beijing

He Ping (2nd L, front), editor-in-chief of China's Xinhua News Agency, presides over the closing ceremony of the BRICS Media Forum in Beijing, capital of China, June 8, 2017. The BRICS Media Forum concluded Thursday after leaders of 27 organizations agreed on an action plan to promote media cooperation. (Xinhua/Zhang Ling)