Bandar Seri Begawan - Asean has a large pool of information mechanism and resources to promote itself, such as the Asean Television News (ATN) Exchange, Asean Digital Broadcasting (ADB) Cooperation and Asean in Action (AiA).

This was said by Brunei Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Awang Haji Mohammad bin Haji Daud during the 10th Conference of the Asean Ministers Responsible for Information (AMRI) in Vientiane, Laos on November 5.

He also said the platforms are very important in helping to increase awareness, enhance connectivity and deepen understanding between peoples of Asean.

The minister emphasised that the ATN, coordinated by Brunei Darussalam since 2003, has been promoting awareness on Asean within and outside of the region, reaching as far as Asia Pacific, Europe and the United States.

The programme, he said, portrays Asean as a dynamic, culturally rich and diverse but harmonious, stable and cohesive region that is conducive to the inflow of foreign direct investment and tourism.

On the theme, "Enhancing Media Cooperation in Asean Community Building", Pehin Haji Mohammad said more information can be produced with the use of new media.

Given the popularity of various new media platforms, particularly mobile phone, Asean member countries can make more use of these new means to reach their target audiences, especially the youth.

They may also consider collaborating with their respective telecommunication companies to share information about Asean via short messaging service (SMS) and multimedia messaging service (MMS).

Meanwhile, on hand to open the conference, which was preceded by the Senior Officials Meeting on November 3-4, was Lao Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Thongloun Sisoulith.

At the conference, the minister explored ways in which the information sector could enhance the effectiveness of existing programmes to further support community building in Asean.

The progress of Asean Digital Broadcasting Cooperation is still high on the agenda, a project that is led by Brunei Darussalam and Singapore.
The ministers agreed on Asean adopting a phased approach towards analogue switch-off from 2015 to 2020, as the member countries are at different stages of readiness for digital TV implementation.

Guidelines will also be developed for digital switch-on.

Realising that Asean dialogue partners, China, Japan, South Korea, India and the European Union, have, moved ahead in digital broadcasting implementation, the ministers agreed that Asean would explore collaboration with these partners on digital terrestrial TV development and capacity building.

On Asean plus China, Japan and South Korea (Asean +3), the conference marked the formal start of cooperation in the information sector.

The ministers were of the view that information and media cooperation between Asean +3 would reach new heights with the convening of the AMRI +3.

They noted that such cooperation would promote greater understanding among the Asean +3 countries and strengthen community building in the region.

The minister also witnessed the launch of Asean Pop Song project, one of the initiatives aimed at strengthening media cooperation in which respective Asean member countries each contributes two locally produced songs to form a CD carrying 20 Asean pop songs. The project will be coordinated by Laos.

Following the conference, the ministers visited the Southeast Asian Games Stadium and Media Centre ahead of the 25th SEA Games which will take place in Vientiane on December 9-18.-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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