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NEW
DELHI: While welcoming the modernization that has come as
a result of globalization and competition, editors from Asian
countries are apprehensive about the freedoms they enjoy in
an era where a few conglomerates and media magnates are trying
to take over the entire media space.
Speaking
at a discussion after the presentation of a paper at a meet
over the weekend, the editors also wondered if the standards
had improved with a larger number of newspapers virtually
turning into tabloids.
These
editors were taking part in the two-day 8th Asian-European
Editors’ Forum meet organized by the Konrad Adenauer
Stiftung in cooperation with The Statesman on ‘Globalistion:
Up– and Downsides for Asia’. The meet was attended
by over thirty editors and senior academicians from several
European and Asian countries including India.
In
a presentation on ‘Globalization and its impact for Asian
Media’, Cyril Pereira who is Principal of the Telesis
Consulting Ltd. in Hong Kong said fears that the media –
both print and electronic – could face serious problems
to their Asian culture and identity as a result of globalization
had proved baseless.
Quality
standards of both newspapers and television channels had improved
and presenters knew they had to be at their best if they had
to compete with TV channels beaming from overseas. Global
satellite and cable access had prompted an upgrading of Asian
programming and presentation skills. Scripts, formats, talent
hunts, and dramas were adapting the successful formulae of
western broadcasters and top Asian talent was being hired
even by western broadcasting channels. He said the Asian broadcast
industry had been re-energized in content, technical skills,
revenue growth, and best-practices.
While
noting that all this made it difficult for autocratic governments
to impose censorship or blackouts, he admitted that some countries
like Myanmar had managed to defy even the freedoms that competition
had brought in.
In
the print media, there was greater advertising money than
ever before and there was more co-branding of specialist products.
There was more business reporting than ever before, and Asian
press was better able to buttress editorial integrity by allowing
quality global media into the field.
But
he agreed that the result of globalization had led to the
entry of 20 to25 global giants who appeared to be controlling
the entire media in the region. Convergence had also made
cross-media acquisitions simpler. This had also led to a reduction
in local and regional content and the interests appeared to
be only economic and not social.
Cyril
said that the public service broadcasters had to play a greater
role in keeping local and regional interests alive. ‘There
is a role for countries to invest in media systems and protect
and do what the private sector which is profit-driven will
not do’. There was need for media policies that were
not purely market-driven.
Reacting
to a question, he said media magnate Rupert Murdoch did not
have any respect for the journalist, but did not interfere
unless he had to take a business decision. Answering another
question, he said online journalism was inconsequential at
present as it was frivolous and not for the thinking citizen.
Statesman
Editor and Managing Director Ravindra Kumar did not agree
with the hypotheses that there had been improvement in standards,
noting that there was greater tabloidization. He said the
Asian News Network had been formed some years earlier to check
this trend.
Noting
that media was the soul of any nation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung
Resident Representative Jorg Wolff said there was need to
evolve common values for Asia which was on the upside even
as it faced some downsides as well.
The
keynote address was by Professor Brahma Chellaney of the Centre
for Policy Research in ‘Asian Geopolitics: A new Grade
Game’. Other Subjects taken up were ‘Migration,
Immigration: the new exodus into and out of Asia’ (Dr
Binod Khadria of the Jawaharlal Nehru University, ‘Downside
of Globalization: New Approaches to Global Security Challenges’
(Mr Michael Ruhle, Head of the Speedwriting Section at the
NATO Policy Planning Unit in Brussels), ‘Asian Regionalism:
Helped or Hindered by Globalization’ (Dr Yeo Lay Hwee
of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs), ‘New
Gatekeepers for the Digital World in Asia and Europe: possibilities
and perils’ (Dr Marcel Machill of the Leipzig University
in Germany), and ‘Economic Globalization: Chances and
Challenges for Asia’ (Dr Sebastian Paust of the Asian
Development Bank from the Philippines).
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