For the first time since 1998 a strategic plan document is in the offing for the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD). It is being drafted by experts from the elected SPT member countries during 18th General Conference and Associated Meetings in Paro, Bhutan last year. The elected member countries are Cambodia, China, Fiji, India, Iran, the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand.

Based on the resolution of the General Conference, the Strategic Plan Team (SPT) Experts’ Group Meeting took place from 19th to 21st February at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The six experts were from Cambodia, India, the Philippines, Korea, and Thailand. The experts from China, Fiji, and Iran could not make it to the meeting.

During the opening, the new President of AIBD General Conference, Mr. Rajeev Singh, from India said the broadcasting industry was going through rapid transformation and AIBD’s role must also change to meet the demands of its members. He urged the experts to brainstorm every key aspect of changing media landscape and come up with a good document, which will guide AIBD and ultimately benefit its members.

The Director, Ms Philomena Gnanapragasam, presented the Institute’s SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Analysis so that the experts could have clear insight while drafting on the document.

The Special Advisory Officer to AIBD, Mr. Jung Soeb BAE, presented an overview of the Strategic Plan Team. Mr Bae said several attempts were made to revisit and revise the 1998 SPT document but to no avail. “I was entrusted this responsibility ever since I joined the Secretariat on secondment. With the help of experts from my country, Korea, I came up with a document in 2018. However, due to various reasons it wasn’t endorsed by the GC,” he said.

Mr Bae added that the 1998 document was drafted during the initial cyber age. “Now, we are in the fourth industrial revolution”. He said that after so many years a roadmap is being made by the members, for the members.

The Director General of Philippine Broadcasting Service and Vice-President of AIBD GC, Mr Rizal Giovanni Aportadera Jr, said the session was worth every minute spent on sharing and inputs. “We are happy with the outcome, considering the time given. We hope that this effort would greatly benefit the Organisation”.

“Learnt a lot, and thoroughly enjoyed the esteemed company of some of the best brains in the region,” said Mr. Siva Kumar, Assistant Director of Programmes (Sports and International Relations), All India Radio, India. He was the moderator of the meeting.

The rapporteur of the meeting, Mr. Sungwoong Kim, a Research Fellow and Policy Analyst from KISDI (Korea Information Society Development Institute), said “I hope our efforts can be a valuable legacy in AIBD history”.

Ms Wanpen Upton, Executive Director of Foreign Service, Government Public Relations Department of the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), said that it was a great experience for her having joined a talented team ‘mapping out proposed AIBD future direction’.

The document will be further reviewed and will be presented during the 19th General Conference in Laos in August for endorsement.

 The 1998 SPT Document

The 1998 document, known as the ‘Strategic Plan for the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development’ was endorsed by the 24th Governing Council (as it was known then) in Tehran, Iran. The SPT members were from China, Fiji, Germany, Malaysia, and Pakistan.

The document provided a holistic roadmap for AIBD, keeping in mind the needs and requirements of that time.

SPT Members Review AIBD’s New Strategic Plan

Members of the AIBD Strategic Plan Team met recently on the sidelines of the Asia Media Summit 2018 in New Delhi, India to examine directions and programmes of the Institute for the next four years.

Discussions were focused on the new Strategic Plan draft which had been shared among the SPT members. It covers  AIBD’s three strategic areas, namely, AIBD as a regional platform for exchange of information for members in the electronic media industry; advanced training and consultancy, and specialised  research activities dealing with  development trends, regulation and policy of the electronic media industry in the region and around the world. 

In serving as a regional platform for information exchange, the Institute should cover the introduction of new technologies and services, discussion of regulations and standardisation directions.

Under advanced training and consultancy, the Institute should focus on new training programmes, media literacy and launch online media training. It should diversify its research activities and methods as well as engage other members in the region.

The underlying vision in pursuing these strategic areas, is to continue to “achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media in the Asia Pacific region through policy and resource development”.

Mr Thusira  Chintaka Malawi Thantri, Director General of Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation (SLRC), chaired the meeting, and said there was a need to further review the document, an idea shared by some SPT members.

“The draft Strategic Plan needed elaboration and further examination”, Mr Mohamed Saeed, Chief Operating Officer of Public Service Media, Maldives, said. 

Some members also said the specialised research activities benefit members, but these should be shared on the website, and must involve others in the region. “Consider turning some research findings into infographics so that members can learn more”, Mrs Wanida Gajaseni, Senior Information officer, International Cooperation Department, National Broadcasting of Thailand, suggested.

Others pointed out gaps in the plan, among them, the lack of clear directions, specific objectives, practical action plans, timelines, and deliverables for effective evaluation. Strengthening regional cooperation and staff development should also be emphasized.

There was a suggestion to share the proposed plan to some thinktanks who can offer new and innovative ideas for consideration by the SPT.

Director Chang Jin acknowledged the good suggestions on the draft Strategic Plan, and argued the document should be reviewed and strengthened. He proposed to continue the discussions on this plan in the General Conference in Colombo, Sri Lanka in August 2018.  It is the hope of SPT members to approve the revised Strategic Plan during the GC. 

On the AMS in 2019, Director Chang Jin announced the withdrawal of the Philippines as host of this event. He said the process of selecting a new host is underway.

Another agenda of the meeting was a post assessment of the AMS 2018, which most SPT members described as a success.

The SPT Chairman said  the Sri Lankan team found the conference  well conducted.There was a consensus that the theme and conference topics were appropriate and relevant, among these, the Masterclass on Storytelling, and the sessions on  “Business Models in the New Era”, and “Asian Values as Broadcasting Themes”.

Dr Abbas Naseri Taheri, Advisor to IRIB President and AIBD General Conference (GC) President, appreciated in particular the list of professionals who spoke at the session on “Business Models in the New Era”, saying the information on advertising in new media and data mining they presented were useful. AIBD Director Chang Jin said this session  on business models was popular among delegates.

Some SPT members commented on the need to manage the time of speakers more effectively. Some sessions had too many panelists. Speakers in some conference sessions failed to offer new perspectives on the topics.

There were recommendations to improve the AMS, among them; the publication of the conference proceedings; inclusion of younger  speakers in some sessions; preparation of speakers’ powerpoint presentations that are more understandable to the participants; evaluation  survey of speakers after each session; and better marketing efforts to attract more foreign participants.

Fourteen SPT members from Cambodia, Korea, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Sri Lanka, and Thailand, including a few AIBD staff joined the meeting which ended at 10:45 pm.

The strategic Plan Team (SPT) met recently during the 16th AIBD General Conference in Maldives to discuss, among others, funding sources for AIBD and the Asia Media Summit (AMS). 

The Strategic Plan Team (SPT) met recently during the 16th AIBD General Conference in Maldives to discuss, among others, funding sources for AIBD and the Asia Media Summit (AMS).

Concerns were raised over dwindling support from United Nations agencies, and the use of the AMS as a platform for commercial purposes. Some members warned that certain private companies use the AMS as a venue to bring in their own speakers only to sell their products and services. Others argued that development institutions that want to take advantage of the AMS or other AIBD events to promote their advocacies should be allowed to contribute funds. There was a suggestion to sell special sessions and exhibition booths as a way to generate funds for the AMS. 

AIBD Director Chang Jin commented that inviting some successful private companies to participate in the AMS makes sense as participants learn some success stories from them. After all, AMS is also a forum for participants to learn. While UNESCO and other UN agencies had contributed resources since the establishment of AIBD, he said funds from these institutions are no longer available now, and AIBD needs to depend on members and other alternative revenue-making mechanisms to ensure its sustainability.

SPT members also discussed a new proposal dealing with the AIBD’s Strategic Plan- Roadmap to 2020. It will update the Strategic Plan crafted in 1998.

Dr Abbas Naseri Taheri, GC President, said there is an urgent need to look at funding to ensure an action plan and roadmap can be implemented. Such plan should be quantified based on a timetable and funding support identified to ensure success. 

Also taken up was a proposal for broadcasters to be more pro-active in developing, producing, disseminating and sharing educational content. This includes the creation of a proposed educational content bank as a way to facilitate content exchange among broadcasters, reduce cost of education, and make it accessible in the region. 

There were concerns about AIBD’s capacity and resources to handle the setting up of a content bank. It was pointed out that ABU has done a lot in content exchange involving news, sports and music. Mr Chang Jin recalled a Korean proposal during the AMS 2016 to set up an Asian Content Bank, saying AIBD could play at least a small role in supporting and coordinating that effort among government departments and broadcasters in the region. Some members and the AIBD Secretariat had agreed to look into this proposal.

The SPT members also discussed the next Asia Media Summit with the theme “Telling our Stories- Asia and More” and the interim list of proposed activities for 2018/2019 to cover 16 topics for technical training, 36 for programme production and 8 for general training.

During the meeting, Dr Javad Mottaghi, ABU Secretary General and former AIBD Director from 1998 to 2010, spoke about the key role of the SPT in planning for the organization’s strategies in the future. He stressed the need for regular exchange of communication between the SPT members and the AIBD Secretariat in crafting and fine tuning these strategies. Not only must SPT be forward looking in planning, it must also identify ways to make the organization more service-oriented. He reminded members to identify what it can do for AIBD to ensure its operations continue. 

 Mr Thusira Chintaka Malawwe Thantri, Director General of the Sri Lanka Rupavahini Corporation and  SPT Chairman, invited AIBD members to come to Colombo, Sri Lanka for the next General Conference in August 2018.

The AIBD Strategic Plan Team (SPT) wants institutions in Asia and beyond to know more about the Institute’s programmes and achievements as part of efforts to recruit new members and better serve its current members.

AIBD currently has 34 full members and 66 affiliate member organisations, representing 48 countries and regions.

The SPT has endorsed the Secretariat’s efforts, among others, to beef up dissemination of the AMS proceedings and achievements to its members and partners.

The AIBD Strategic Plan Team (SPT) wants institutions in Asia and beyond to know more about the Institute’s programmes and achievements as part of efforts to recruit new members and better serve its current members.

AIBD currently has 34 full members and 66 affiliate member organisations, representing 48 countries and regions.

The SPT has endorsed the Secretariat’s efforts, among others, to beef up dissemination of the AMS proceedings and achievements to its members and partners.

One such effort is the publication of the AMS documents which resumed after the AMS 2015 in Kuala Lumpur. It included Powerpoint presentations, speakers’ speeches as well as comments and recommendations from participants during the various sessions.

AIBD has also sent a copy of the AMS 2015 ‘Main Documents and Summary’ to partners and patrons who have shown keen interest in our Institute as well as the UN Secretary General. It also published the highlights of the AMS 2015 in the quarterly newsletter Broadcaster.

AIBD will also consider live broadcasting of the opening and closing ceremonies of the AMS 2016 and continue live streaming of the plenary and parallel sessions.

The 34th Meeting of the AIBD Strategic Plan Team was held on August 18, 2015 in Chiang Mai, Thailand to review the Institute’s major projects during the last 12 months and to plan future activities. A total of 33 delegates from 11 countries that are SPT members attended the two-hour meeting.

Discussions revolved around ways to improve the Asia Media Summit, the most recent one in Kuala Lumpur receiving commendation from SPT members for a job well done.

Mr Chang Jin, new AIBD Director, said that “in terms of its content and speakers, the AMS 2015 is being considered as the best by regular attendees”. He also reported on the success of the 3rd International Conference on Broadcast Training (ICBT) held in Kuala Lumpur early this year and the World TV Awards 2015.

SPT members tackled the draft theme and topics of the AMS 2016 in Korea and agreed that the focus on content issues was appropriate. However, they had differing opinions on the wording of the proposed theme entitled “New Horizons for Media Content: Asia and Beyond”. Lively discussions ensued on the need to clarify the key words in the theme title to best reflect the various dimensions of the theme.

To enhance the draft theme, the SPT agreed to continue the conversations and allow its members and the Secretariat to finalise the theme before October this year.

The SPT also heard reports on the preparations for the AMS 2016 to be held in Incheon, Korea from 24-26 May. The Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning (MSIP), Republic of Korea as host and the AIBD Secretariat are in regular communication to ensure a fruitful, exciting and meaningful event.

Aside from the sessions, the AMS 2016 will feature an exhibit outside the conference site, the ‘fun’ gala dinner and a whole day excursion that will bring delegates to Seoul to visit an international convention that showcases the latest broadcast technologies.

According to the Director Chang Jin, AMS 2016 will hold pre-summit workshops dealing with topics on digital transition, smart broadcasting, global content distribution, digital standards related to content and a hands-on master class offered by Eurovision Academy and CCTV.

To better prepare AIBD meet future demands, the SPT endorsed a proposal to conduct a research on the achievements of AIBD during the past 38 years. Such activity will afford members and the Secretariat the opportunity to identify strengths and gaps, and better define future directions for the benefit of its members and the broadcast industry. It was suggested that the AIBD set up some indicators of success helpful in measuring its level of performance and in developing strategies.

The SPT also recommended that the next GC be held in Iran with the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting or IRIB as the host, and the AMS 2017 to be hosted by China for the second time.

In the course of the two-hour meeting, members offered their gratitude to the National Broadcasting Services of Thailand (NBT), The Government Public Relations Department (PRD) for hosting the 41st Annual Gathering and 14th AIBD General Conference and Associated Meetings in Chiang Mai.

The next SPT meeting is scheduled in May 2016 to coincide with the AMS 2016 in Korea.

AIBD is pleased to announce that Mr. Chang Jin from China has been appointed as Director of AIBD on 15 January 2015.  The interview panel met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to finalise the decision after an extended short-listing process and lengthy deliberation.

Mrs. Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, President of AIBD General Conference, chaired the panel. The panel also included Mr. Anothai Udomsilp, Chairman of the Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and Dato’ Adilah Shek Omar and Mr Laxman Humagain, Executive Board members.

Mr Chang Jin will take office as soon as possible pending work permit approval.

AIBD is pleased to announce that Mr. Chang Jin from China has been appointed as Director of AIBD on 15 January 2015.  The interview panel met in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to finalise the decision after an extended short-listing process and lengthy deliberation.

Mrs. Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, President of AIBD General Conference, chaired the panel. The panel also included Mr. Anothai Udomsilp, Chairman of the Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and Dato’ Adilah Shek Omar and Mr Laxman Humagain, Executive Board members.

Mr Chang Jin will take office as soon as possible pending work permit approval.

Bio

Mr Chang Jin obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in English for Science and Technology at Xi’an Jiaotong University of China in 1989, and Master of Science degree in Media and Communications from the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) in 1998.  In 1992 he joined the Ministry of Radio, Film and Television (which has evolved into the present SAPPRFT) and has since worked with its International Cooperation Department.  From 2002 to 2012 Mr Chang held successively the positions of Deputy Director of the European, North American and Oceanian Affairs Division, and Consultant & Deputy Director of the Asian, African and Latin American Affairs Division.  In 2012 he was named Director of the latter Division.

On his more recent posts Mr Chang Jin has committed himself to the advancement of the exchanges and cooperation in radio and television between the Chinese government and the Asian, African and Latin American regions.  Through exchanges and cooperation in radio and television programming, participation in the activities of international organizations, and implementation of training programmes, Chang Jin and his colleagues have been able to contribute to the mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples and closer cooperation between the Chinese government and governments of those regions.

Through the years Chang Jin participated, and played key roles in the hosting of a number of international conferences in China, which include the 35th ABU General Assembly in 1998, the 27th AIBD Governing Council in 2001, the 43rd ABU General Assembly in 2006, the 2008 China-ASEAN Forum on Radio & TV Cooperation, the 2009 China-South Asia Forum on Radio & TV Cooperation, the 2010 Asia Media Summit, the 2012 and 2014 China-Africa Forums on Media Cooperation, and the 2013 China-Arab States Forum on Radio and TV Cooperation.  These conferences all laid strengthened and solid foundations for the substantial cooperation between China and those organizations and countries.

Since 2007 Mr Chang Jin has been involved in the international radio and television training programmes that SAPPRFT has arranged for developing countries mainly in Asia, Africa and Latin America.  With the support of various funds from the Chinese government, the scale of those training has kept expanding.  To the end of 2014, 90 workshops have been completed, benefiting more than 2000 radio and television professionals from about 140 countries.

Chang Jin understands the great value of the cultural heritage of China and Asia Pacific, and appreciates the important role of broadcasting in disseminating the cultural heritage and building a better life for peoples in the region.  He respects different cultural backgrounds.

Chang Jin is also talented in musical composition, vocal performance, and photography.

AIBD’s Strategic Plan Team (SPT) has met during the 13th General Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to review the Institute’s major projects in 2014 and examine planned activities in 2015, particularly the Asia Media Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May next year.

AIBD’s Strategic Plan Team (SPT) has met during the 13th General Conference in Phnom Penh, Cambodia to review the Institute’s major projects in 2014 and examine planned activities in 2015, particularly the Asia Media Summit to be held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in May next year.

Members attending the 32nd SPT Meeting in Phnom Penh on 13 August 2014 agreed in principle to adopt the draft program of the Summit that showcases ten plenary and parallel session topics dealing with the conference theme “Transforming Broadcasting in the Social Media Era.” Among these topics were broadcasting for social media audience, enhancing content creation, big data and social media, developing an effective social media strategy and social media and elections.

AMS 2015 will also feature moderated debates on two topics; one, on journalism, ethics and social media, and two, on whether or not broadcasters should compete or collaborate with social media.

SPT members recommended that the conference should also discuss regulations in the social media landscape as a distinct agenda topic either in a plenary/parallel session or workshop.

They also endorsed the idea of holding a ministerial roundtable during the AMS to provide ministers in charge of information and broadcasting an opportunity to examine the usage, functionality and impact of social media in broadcasting and development.

This will be a first in the AMS history to gather as many ministers from Asia Pacific in a conference that hopefully will generate some sort of a declaration dealing with the conference theme.

At the SPT meeting, its new chairman Mr. Anothai Udomsilp, Director of Academic Institute of Public Media, Thai Public Broadcasting Service, Thailand, reported on the discussions of the last SPT meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

His brief report covered the review of the AMS 2014, the International Conference on Broadcast Training, the election of the new SPT chairman and the retirement of AIBD Deputy Director Mrs. Manil Cooray.

Also at the meeting, AIBD Director Yang Binyuan officially announced his resignation effective 15 September 2014 to the SPT members and said he plans to go back to China to take care of his father.

The SPT members expressed their sincere gratitude for Binyuan’s contribution and dedication, and encouraged him to continue to work with AIBD in whatever capacity he may have in the future.

Anothai and AIBD Director Yang Binyuan thanked the Kingdom of Cambodia for hosting the GC in Phnom Penh.

The next two SPT meetings will take place in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia where the AMS next year will be held in May 2015, and Chiangmai, Thailand where the next GC will be held in August 2015.

For a week from 28 April to 2 May 2014, international radio broadcaster Voice of Nigeria (VON) gathered in Lagos to prepare for a new Strategic Plan. In a workshop facilitated by AIBD, some 30 participants looked at the international media environment and the ways in which a Strategic Plan is crafted, monitored and published as a promise to audiences and parliamentary funders.

For a week from 28 April to 2 May 2014, international radio broadcaster Voice of Nigeria (VON) gathered in Lagos to prepare for a new Strategic Plan. In a workshop facilitated by AIBD, some 30 participants looked at the international media environment and the ways in which a Strategic Plan is crafted, monitored and published as a promise to audiences and parliamentary funders.

Understanding audiences and the changing converged media environment was a major area of attention. The importance of increasing relevance by communicating not only on short wave but also streaming online and through mobile phones and tablets was identified as major priorities.

Developing a Strategic Plan is the responsibility of VON’s newly formed Strategic Planning and Corporate Development Department, led by Mr. Ezekiel Ndukwe. The Department’s team is located in Nigeria’s capital Abuja as well as in Lagos and includes experienced content leaders.

VON is chartered to bring African and Nigerian perspectives to a global audience. The Nigerian diaspora is an important part of implementing this responsibility. For example, there are several million Nigerians living in London. As Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria has a responsibility to reflect wider African perspectives to an international audience.

There was enthusiastic engagement from workshop participants who not only came from Voice of Nigeria but also from the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, the Nigeria Television Authority and commercial broadcaster, DAAR Communications.

Mr Anothai Udomsilp, Director of Academic Institute of Public Media at Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) was unanimously selected as the Chairman of the AIBD Strategic Plan Team (SPT) at the 31st Meeting of SPT held on 7 May 2014 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Mr Anothai Udomsilp, Director of Academic Institute of Public Media at Thai Public Broadcasting Service (Thai PBS) was unanimously selected as the Chairman of the AIBD Strategic Plan Team (SPT) at the 31st Meeting of SPT held on 7 May 2014 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

He replaces Mr Cao Yin, the former SPT Chairman and Deputy Director-General of International Cooperation Department of the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television of China, who has been appointed CEO and Managing Director of China Movie Channels.

Mr Anothai has worked in various areas from government officer to media practitioner over the years. At Thai PBS he is responsible for Research and Development, Training, and the Operation of Information Centre. His particular spheres of expertise include Total Quality Management and Branding for Media Organisation, Media and Information Literacy, Promotion of Gender Equality in Media, and Civic Education where he has been closely associated with AIBD for the past years.

Mr Anothai was also the chief coordinator when Thai PBS hosted the Asia Media Summit 2012 in Bangkok.

His appointment will be officially endorsed at the forthcoming 40th Annual Gathering /13th AIBD General Conference & Associated Meeting to be held from 13-15 August 2014 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia.

The AIBD Strategic Plan Team recently endorsed the proposed theme and topic sessions for the Asia Media Summit 2014 to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 6-8 May 2014. SPT members also instructed the AIBD secretariat to work closely with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information, AMS 2014 host, in planning and implementing the next summit.

The AIBD Strategic Plan Team recently endorsed the proposed theme and topic sessions for the Asia Media Summit 2014 to be held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on 6-8 May 2014. SPT members also instructed the AIBD secretariat to work closely with Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Culture and Information, AMS 2014 host, in planning and implementing the next summit.

“Media and Diversity: Enriching the Broadcasting Experience” is the theme of the two-day summit that will feature ten plenary and parallel sessions, including several pre-summit workshops.

The 30th Strategic Plan Team meeting was held on 12 August 2013 in Yangon, Myanmar during the AIBD General Conference. Thirty-two AIBD members, partners and observers attended the meeting.

The Asia Media Summit will celebrate its 10th anniversary in 2014, which marks a milestone in AIBD’s journey to fulfill its mandate.

Upon the successful conclusion of the AMS 2013 in Manado, Indonesia, the AIBD Secretariat has started planning for the AMS 2014 under the guidance of the Strategic Plan Team and is working closely with the host in Saudi Arabia and AIBD members and partners on developing the theme and content for the AMS 2014.

During the SPT meeting, members generated extensive discussion on the proposed summit topics, among them, the importance of programming strategy, media regulation, social media and public service broadcasting. While recognizing that these issues were incorporated in the proposed program, members acknowledged the need to identify new and dynamic speakers for the two-day summit.

There was a consensus among SPT members that the AMS 2013 in Manado, Indonesia was a success while expectations are high for a more meaningful summit in Jeddah.

Mr. Cao Yin, SPT Chairman and Deputy Director-General of the International Cooperation Department, State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, China, chaired the SPT meeting.

The SPT meeting also endorsed the report on the 1st International Conference on Broadcast Training, which was organised by AIBD together with Tun Abdul Razak Broadcasting and Information Institute, Malaysia in February 2013. The SPT members agreed that it is a good initiative for AIBD as a training institute and further efforts are to be made to make the annual event even stronger.

The SPT meeting acknowledged the continuing support of AIBD’s international partners and urged them to strengthen cooperation with AIBD in assisting broadcasters in Asia-Pacific to address the many challenges and opportunities in the evolving media environment.