APMF 2026: Bernama Among 16 Founding Members Of Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Organising Committee

By Samantha Tan Chiew Tieng

SHENZHEN, Sept 5 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) is among the 16 founding organisations of the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Organising Committee, which was officially launched here Saturday to strengthen media cooperation and exchanges across the region.

The committee was launched in conjunction with the Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) 2026, with Bernama joining seven other foreign media organisations and eight Chinese organisations as founding members.

Bernama chief executive officer Nur-ul Afida Kamaludin represented the national news agency at the launch ceremony.

She said Bernama’s participation in the committee will help strengthen its ties and strategic cooperation, particularly with news agencies across the Asia-Pacific region.

“Through this participation, Bernama will have the opportunity to exchange experiences and perspectives on various matters related to media and journalism,” she said.

Spearheaded by China’s Xinhua News Agency, the initiative is aimed at deepening cooperation among media organisations and think tanks across the Asia-Pacific while promoting mutually beneficial and win-win collaboration.

According to the forum’s outcome document, the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Programme will establish a platform for media exchanges and cooperation focusing on four key areas, namely high-level dialogue, coordinated communication, technological innovation and practical cooperation.

The organising committee will be responsible for the programme’s organisational work, consultation on its rules of procedure and the design of activities to be conducted under its framework.

Besides Bernama, the foreign founding members are Russia’s TASS News Agency, Vietnam News Agency, Indonesia’s ANTARA News Agency, Peru’s Andina News Agency, Daily Scrum News, Agence Kampuchea Presse and Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation.

The eight Chinese founding organisations are People’s Daily, Xinhua News Agency, China Media Group, China Daily, China International Communications Group, China News Service, Nanfang Media Group and Shenzhen News Group.

Following its launch, the organising committee will formally invite media organisations and think tanks across the region to join the Asia-Pacific Media Partnership Programme.

The 16 founding members will also work towards the official establishment of the programme within this year, while its secretariat will be housed at Xinhua.

The initiative comes amid growing efforts among Asia-Pacific media organisations to strengthen collaboration in navigating a rapidly evolving information landscape, including technological transformation and artificial intelligence (AI), while promoting credible and coordinated communication across borders.

APMF 2026, themed "Building a Path to Shared Prosperity for the Asia-Pacific Community: Media Consensus and Action", brings together media leaders and representatives from across the region.

The forum is being held ahead of the 33rd APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting, which Shenzhen will host on Nov 18 and 19.

-- BERNAMA