China has taken the initiative for creating an alternative media platform for the emerging economies by hosting the first media summit of countries belonging to the Brazil-Russia-India-China-South Africa (BRICS) grouping.

A total of 25 media organisations are participating in Tuesday’s summit, which hopes to create a new institutional framework that would be tailored to benefit the media of five emerging economies, which have deep linkages with the Global South.

Initiated by Xinhua

The initiative follows the formation of the New Development Bank, which is playing its part in evolving a new global financial architecture sensitised to meet the needs of the developing world.

China’s Xinhua news agency has been the initiator of the project that is adding one more dimension to the BRICS format, in collaboration with The Hindu group of publications, the Brazil Communication Company, Russia Today International News Agency, and South Africa’s Independent Media.

The organisers hope that their deliberations will also yield an agenda-setting consensus among the BRICS media on coordinating the coverage of G-20 summits, in tune with the priorities of the emerging economies.

During a call in the Great Hall of the People on Liu Yunshan, member of the Politburo Standing Committee, N. Ram, Chairman and Publisher of The Hindu group, who spoke on behalf of the co-sponsors of the event, pointed out that the growing clout of the BRICS across the globe signals the significant media potential of the grouping in charting out an alternative course.

“Despite some negative prognostications, BRICS — a strategic partnership founded and developed on the principles of openness, solidarity, equality and mutual understanding, inclusiveness, and mutually beneficial cooperation — has proved a resounding success on the world stage,” Mr. Ram observed.

He added that unlike media and journalism in developed countries, which is facing major difficulties and often experiencing trends of decline, mainstream media in the BRICS countries has “an important comparative advantage”, visible in rising growth trends and ample possibilities for further growth.

Understanding each other

Yet, he cautioned that BRICS media must know each other better to realise their strengths, challenges, potential, and commonalties as well diversities and “understand where we need to improve”.

A meeting of the presidium, which was held on Monday to finalise preparations, focused strongly on building new institutions that would anchor the evolution of the BRICS media. It recommended the formation of a liaison office for BRICS Media Summit, which will become an executive body responsible for the daily contact of the presidium members, as well as the organisation and coordination of the Summit.

It also proposed the formation of a BRICS Media Foundation, supporting and protecting journalists belonging to the grouping.