Industry leaders from the media and PR sectors gathered at a high-profile conference in Singapore to advocate for greater collaboration between PR firms and news agencies, urging them to combine their strengths in delivering accurate information timely.
The AsiaNet Board Meeting & Forum, held on January 22-23, brought together key stakeholders to discuss ways to empower Asia’s media and PR sectors. With a focus on innovation, digital transformation and cross-industry collaboration, the event underscored AsiaNet’s commitment to fostering growth and adapting to evolving technological landscapes.
A dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Amrita Sidhu of Medianet, centred on strategies to optimise media operations in the digital age. Its panelists included:
* Nahar Khan, Executive Editor of UNB
* Pannee Yongpiyakul, Managing Director of Dataxet
* Anubha Verma, Chief Marketing Officer of Press Trust of India (PTI)
* Michiko Fujimoto, Director of Kyodo JBN
The panel explored how each agency is embracing AI within their operations. All participants agreed that, while AI presents significant opportunities, a cautious approach is necessary to preserve the credibility and trust built over decades.
AsiaNet Board Meeting & Forum urges embracing innovation
This year’s forum was themed "Embracing Innovation," highlighting the critical need for media and PR organisations to leverage technology to improve efficiency, audience engagement and competitiveness.
Key discussion points included:
* Digital transformation to modernise operations and enhance effectiveness
* Cross-industry collaboration to pool expertise and create synergies
* Innovation as a driver for sustainable growth and regional progress
Prominent representatives from AsiaNet partners, including Xinhua, VNA, Yonhap, Bernama, Medianet, United News of Bangladesh (UNB), and Kyodo News, were in attendance.
Nahar Khan, discussing as a panelist at the session, shared that UNB embraces the transformative potential of AI to enhance workflows and storytelling, but firmly believes that people must remain at the centre - shaping its application with human judgment, ethics and creativity. She added that AI-driven tools have made way for a more creative, collaborative, data-driven and a responsive newsroom environment.
Pannee Yongpiyakul shared that at Dataxet Thailand, their innovation process blends business-driven strategic planning with customer-driven insights, enabling informed decisions on pursuing and implementing innovations effectively. He also said that their technical team continuously monitors technological developments to assess their potential impact on the company and its operations.
Anubha Verma emphasised that while AI presents immense opportunities for PTI and the whole media industry, it is crucial to adopt a cautious approach to preserve the credibility and trust that have been built over decades.
Michiko Fujimoto discussed how Kyodo News, Japan's leading news agency, approaches AI within their organization.
The AsiaNet Board Meeting & Forum 2025 reaffirmed the organisation’s mission to empower its members with tools and strategies essential for thriving in the digital era. By uniting key players from Asia’s media and PR sectors, the forum set the foundation for a more innovative, collaborative and resilient regional media ecosystem.