ASEAN Media Should Strengthen Collaboration, Craft Unified Regional Narrative - Bernama Chairman

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 8 (Bernama) -- ASEAN media organisations have been urged to work together to craft and disseminate a compelling regional narrative that highlights the bloc’s aspirations, cultural richness and strategic importance.

In making the call, Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) Chairman Datuk Seri Wong Chun Wai emphasised the need for ASEAN to break away from its reliance on Western media perspectives by strengthening collaboration among the region’s media to present a unified and accurate regional narrative to the world.

With over 600 million people in the region, ASEAN, he said, is a vital bloc with diverse languages and cultures, and while English serves as a common language, the need for deeper collaboration among ASEAN media outlets has never been more crucial.

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“In the case of the South China Sea, which is part of our backyard and our home, we have a much better understanding of the region than many Western media outlets. Yet, we continue to rely on their narratives, which often seek to depict the area as a conflict zone.

“But the ASEAN approach is different. We strive for engagement and neutrality. We do not take sides, and we are committed to ensuring peace in the region," he told reporters after moderating a session at the ASEAN Economic Opinion Leaders Conference: Outlook for 2025 here today

Additionally, Wong said ASEAN's media must shift the narrative away from the negative perceptions often presented by external media agencies.

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“For me personally, I would like to see an ASEAN media network where we could exchange our content whether in news, video, TikTok or Instagram.

“By diversifying content and highlighting the softer aspects of ASEAN, such as tourism, food, lifestyle and music, the region's media can foster greater engagement and interest among global audiences,” he said.

Wong said it is essential that Malaysia showcases its capability to perform its ASEAN duties in a superb and effective manner, and hopes that all media companies and locals will play their part in making the country impactful for ASEAN.

The panellists for the forum were South China Morning Post executive managing editor Zuraidah Ibrahim and Thai veteran journalist on regional affairs Kavi Chongkittavorn.

Meanwhile, Zuraidah also called for greater collaboration among ASEAN media organisations to tackle pressing issues that transcend national borders.

“We need an ASEAN newsroom that allows us to work across borders to investigate critical matters such as migration, climate change, financial scams and labour issues. These challenges affect us all across the region,” she said.

She emphasised the need for pooling resources to enable more in-depth reporting among media agencies in the region as it can provide stronger and more comprehensive coverage of the issues that matter most to the people of ASEAN.

Kavi emphasised that ASEAN needs journalists who can craft narratives that truly resonate with the region's diversity and complexity, pointing out the shortage of media professionals who fully grasp ASEAN’s significance.

He highlighted the importance of having personified opinions in today’s media landscape, where external news sources such as social media often overshadow local perspectives.

“ASEAN journalists need to write their own views about global issues, particularly on the environment. Don’t be afraid ... so be bold in putting out your view. So I think educational institutions and senior journalists must take responsibility for preparing future journalists to navigate these concerns,” he said.

-- BERNAMA