Arounsuosdei…
Good morning, His
Excellency Samdech Hun Sen, Prime Minister of Cambodia, conference
delegates, members and partners of AIBD!
Welcome to the
16th Asia Media Summit in Siem Reap, Cambodia.
This year’s theme
- “Media Digitization with a focus of developing markets” - offers us an
opportunity to take stock of technological advances around us, and the level of
digitization, its adoption and usage, as well as impact on the broadcast
industry.
These
technological developments, such as advanced
robotics, artificial intelligence, the Internet of
Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data analytics
and three-dimensional (3D) printing are creating excitement in varying
degrees across the globe.
They form part
of the widely acclaimed 4th Industrial Revolution the impact
and benefits of which are immense for industry, government, media and society
in general.
Across
countries, markets and societies, digital technologies and big data are helping
facilitate economic and social development, improve the quality of governance,
and enhance the level of public service and transparency. Depending on the
extent of adoption and implementation, digitization has proven impact of
reducing unemployment, improving quality of life and boosting citizen’s access
to public services.
Antonio
Guterres, the Secretary-General of the United Nations, recognizes these
benefits, saying that in implementing the 2030 Agenda for
Sustainable Development –
our universal blueprint for building peaceful, prosperous societies on a
healthy planet – “harnessing the great power of information and
communications technologies can be one of the keys to success,
including by opening new pathways of development and helping
countries gain access to the global store of knowledge”.
But to what
extent have developing countries or even underdeveloped markets benefited
from digitization and big data?
A United
Nations Report in 2017 titled “Digitalization, Trade and Development” says
many developing countries, especially the least developed countries
(LDCs), are inadequately prepared to capture the many opportunities
emerging as a result of digitalization. There are also concerns over how
data flows can be harnessed while at the same time addressing concerns
related to privacy and security.
Developing
countries also face other challenges. First, the level of digitization that
takes into consideration issues on pricing, reliability, speed, and ease of
use; second, identification of the right technological infrastructure in
specific sectors; third, provision for financial resources to adopt digital
technologies; fourth, adequate supply of skilled workers with strong cognitive,
adaptive and creative skills necessary for working with the new technologies,
and fifth, exclusion of critical voices and knowledgeable stakeholders in utilizing
digital technologies and big data for development programs.
No doubt, the
overall effects of digitization will be country-specific, varying greatly among
countries and sectors. Exploiting the full benefits of digitization demands
effective cross-sectorial collaboration in order to craft evidence-based
policies and strategies. It also requires building capacity of various sectors
to collect more and better data on relevant dimensions of digitization and big
data.
These
technological challenges and their attendant strategies will be at the core of
some of our discussions in the 2019 Asia Media Summit. Other interesting topics
we will cover are: how broadcasters can adapt to the digital revolution, Envisioning
media in the 4th Industrial Revolution, integration of the
latest technologies in content creation, disinformation and new media,
monetization in traditional and new media, and technologies for distribution of
media content.
One of the highlights
of the Asia Media Summit 2019 is a roundtable of CEOs of broadcast networks which
will discuss digitization and its impact on media credibility.
In recent
months, AIBD has contributed towards building capacity of broadcasters in
understanding advances and trends in technology and upgrading their adaptive
and creative skills necessary to use new technologies. Among these were the
workshop on “ Understanding OTT, IBB Technologies and their
Value-Added Services,” Telling Compelling Data-Driven News
Stories, DRM Digital Radio Implementation and Rollout, Emerging Technologies
for Broadcasting and Media; Production to Delivery, Broadcasting in the Age of
New Media: Opportunities and Challenges.
In 2018, the Asia Media Summit in India focused on the theme “Telling Our
Stories – Asia and More.” It called for impactful storytelling about Asia, home
to diverse ethnic groups, religions and variegated cultures, and stressed the
need to preserve, and share stories about Asia beyond its boundaries.
In one of its plenary sessions, I talked about how truth in media is
vanishing and sensationalism becoming a hotcake in the market. To regain
people’s trust in media, there is a need to produce compelling stories
that are relevant, truthful and meant for public good.
We trust that impactful storytelling, truthful storytelling will not be
lost when we examine the breadth and depth of technological advances and
digitization in the 2019 Asia Media Summit.
The world,
indeed, is experiencing profound changes, particularly in technology.
In this
context, media regulators and analysts also need to look at the impact of
private business houses and large corporations who own major media networks
that control flow of information across the world. Paid news and planted news are a bane for the
media in developing countries, especially with the advent of powerful social
media networks.
Pulitzer
Prize-winning author Thomas Friedman says, quote “machines today are acquiring
all the attributes of human beings: the ability to think, reason,
manipulate and learn.”
This is a
world, he adds, that human beings must contend with today.
No wonder,
some sectors are calling urgently for a ‘new humanism’, a concept
that can adapt to the pace of change, and demands a return to some core
values – respect, generosity, empathy, and a culture of peace, among
others.
It is an
approach that can guide us in our decisions, strengthen our ability to
influence, and guide our behavior and action amid the technological
advances. It can help build a healthy community.
UNESCO calls
it a new humanism in society that aims to create a more inclusive
society.
As we face trying
times in a technology-driven world, it’s the most adaptive who will survive, and
this adaptive challenge will take place at the individual level, at the
community level, and at the corporate level.
And in
closing, may I extend on behalf of the AIBD family my sincerest gratitude to
the government of Cambodia, in particular the Ministry of Information, for
hosting AMS 2019 and its generous assistance to ensure a successful conference.
The august presence of the Honorable Prime Minister makes it an event extra-ordinaire.
I wish you all
a productive Asia Media Summit.
Thank
you. - Saum Arkoun!
No comments:
Post a Comment