Experts line up for Asia-Pacific’s first Global News Forum

The ABU has announced more experts slated to front the Asia-Pacific’s inaugural Global News Forum (GNF) next month. 

The 2013 GNF, due to start on 5 September, will tackle issues of ‘Breaking News in the Media 3.0 Era’ using the latest digital technology and social media tools on smart devices to give participants a digital communication experience where creative interaction leads lively debates.

Delegates attending should make sure their Twitter accounts are up and ready because in Seoul, they will meet face-to-face with Asia-Pacific and international journalists, tech professionals and other news veterans and get a hands-on introduction to Korea’s cutting-edge smart device industry.

Three of the most recent experts to be announced are: Min Kyung-wook, the main anchor for the flagship Korean Broadcasting System news program, KBS 9 O’clock News; Jed Simmons, Global Head of News Content Partnerships for YouTube, Google; and Masaakira James Kondo, Vice-President Market Development Asia-Pacific for Twitter.

The keynote speaker will be Richard Porter, Controller of English for BBC Global News, and other featured experts already announced will include: Joohee Cho, Seoul Bureau Chief, ABC News; Nick Wrenn, Vice President of Digital Services, CNN International; Hany El Konayyesi, Manager of News Output, Al Jazeera English; Lynley Marshall, CEO, ABC International Australia; Pan Linhua, Vice Director of International News, CCTV China; Debra Soon, Managing Director, Channel NewsAsia, Singapore; Kimiko Aoki, Deputy Head of World News, NHK World, Japan; Alexey Nikolov, Managing Director, Russia Today; João Francisco Pinto, News and Program Controller, TDM Macau; Zineddine Hafid, Head of ASBU Unilateral Coordination, Arab States Broadcasting Union; Brian Carovillano; Asia-Pacific News Director, Associated Press; Mark Little, Founder and CEO, Storyful; Somchai Suwanban, Director General, Thai Public Broadcasting Service. 

Mr Gil Hwan-young, President & CEO of KBS, will deliver the opening address, with Mr Lee Kyung-jae, Chairman of the Korean Communications Commission and ABU Secretary-General Dr Javad Mottaghi also speaking at the opening ceremony.