Islamabad International Conference of News Agencies highlights need for strengthened professional co-operation

Leaders of news agencies that on Sunday attended the International Conference of News Agencies (ICNA), held in Islamabad on May 13-14, highlighted the need for enhancing professional cooperation, especially prompt exchange of video news footages and pictures to meet the growing demand of TV channels, according to the APP Pakistani news agency. 

Key speaker at the session on the role of news agencies in the digital age, former federal Minister for Information Javed Jabbar suggested that representatives of news agencies from across the world should form a federation and meet annually to share ideas, experiences and strategies to keep growing their role in a challenging age of digital media. 

'We are all in a phase when all information on media is in the palm of your hand. All communication is instant and this is an incredible revolution and the world has seen an exponential media growth and explosion of information,' he said. 

In his speech, senior journalist APP senior journalist Shafik Qureshi urged the need for strong collaboration between news agencies to meet challenges of changing times and for adoption of modern technologies. 'We live in a world of microblogging, social media and artificial intelligence and in an age where fake news travels faster than factual news. 

Organised at the initiative of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), this year's conference is focused on '' Pakistan's media - opportunities and challenges '' and focuses on news agencies and the professional challenges they face. The AGERPRES National News Agency is represented by Deputy Director General Claudia Nicolae. 

Attending the conference are guests from 20 countries including Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bulgaria, China, Egypt, Greece, Indonesia, Iran, Kazakhstan, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Romania, Syria, Tunisia and Turkey.