GA 2015: Super Panel and Professional Discussion – two last sessions on the General Assembly agenda

On this last day of the ABU General Assembly and Associated Meetings, two high-level discussions were on the agenda:

Super Panel Session-where accomplished broadcast professionals discussed the theme, “Serving Audiences–Empowering Societies”. It was an opportunity for the panellists to look beyond the regular content and technologies and to focus on media as a game-changer in education, disaster preparedness and nation building.

Discussions this year were presented in two Forums addressing two key areas for broadcasters: “Building Public Trust” – where the panellists were Mr Jawhar Sircar, CEO of Prasar Bharati, India, Mr Xia Jixuan, Vice-president of China Radio International, RTPRC-China, Mrs Rosarita Niken Widiastuti, President Director, RRI-Indonesia and Mr Song Jaeheon, Executive Director, Content Business Dept., KBS . The session was chaired by Mr Jun Ogawa from TBS-Japan.

The other forum with the theme “Empowering Societies” was moderated by Ms Nedra Weerasinghe, Group Director, MBC-Sri Lanka.  The panellists were Dr Abbas Naseri Taheri from IRIB-Iran, Dr Ibrahim Eren, Deputy Director–General, TRT-Turkey, Mr Narayan Rao, Executive Vice Chairperson NDTV-India and Mr Tadanobu Sakamoto, Senior Director, NHK-Japan .

The Professional Discussion was another forum where members this year shared ideas and experiences on the theme: “The Spectrum Battles: Reclaiming and Retaining the Broadcasters’ Spectrum”.

Mr Toshiyuki Sato of NHK International moderated the session. The panellists were: Ms Ruxandra Obreja of DRM, Mr Taha Yucel, Supreme Council Member of Turkey, Dr Riyadh Najm of the Arab State Broadcasting Union (ASBU) and  Dr Amal Punchihewa of the ABU.