DOMINATION OF WESTERN MEDIA NEEDS TO BE STOPPED, OANA PRESIDENT SAYS

Teheran, Iran, Nov 16 (ANTARA) - President Director of ANTARA National News Agency Dr Ahmad Mukhlis Yusuf called for an immediate ending of the Western Media's domination as it was often biased and had different interest with the Asia Pacific nations.

He made the call in his capacity as President of the Organization of Asia Pacific News Agencies (OANA) which is currently holding its 31st Executive Board Meeting and the 25th Editorial-Technical Experts Meeting (ETBM).

Representatives of the 18 governmental and non-governmental organizations from the Asia Pacific region are now attending the meeting which was officially opened by Irainian Minister of Culture Seyyed Mohammad Hosseini.
The theme of the meeting is a "quest for global media balancing."
He further told the delegates that the main objective of OANA which was established in Bangkok, Thailand, in 1961, was to keep a balanced flow of information around the world.

He added that at the time OANA was founded, the flow of information was mostly dominated by Western news agencies.

He however said that a balanced flow of information had still to be sought by OANA mebers.

OANA, he said, had to publish first-hand news from its member news agencies in the region.

Citing an example, he said news on Indonesia would be much better if made by the country's official news agency ANTARA, and that of Malaysia's Bernama, or Iran's IRNA and Mehr News Agency which is now hosting the meeting.

News produced by OANA members should be more credible and accurate in a bid to end the domination of the Western media, he added.

"Only with such efforts, the new world of information order could become more balanced," he said.

The Iranian Minister, meanwhile said that the OANA meeting would provide a good opportunity to discuss the hirearchy of communication in the world.
He also suggested OANA members to organize and consistently plan and adopt efficient strategies in a bid to repel the massive onslaught of the Western media.

OANA consists of 41 news agencies from 33 countries.