At the 55th Programme Committee meeting, held in conjunction with the 60th ABU (Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union) General Assembly and Associated Meetings, a new leadership has been elected to oversee the future direction of the committee.

Yotaro Yashiki, Director of the Program Production Center for Drama and Entertainment at NHK, and Furkan Gündoğan, an Vice President of Drama and Programs at TRT 1 Channel, were elected as the new Vice-Chairpersons for the Programme Committee. Meanwhile, Claire Gorman of ABC Australia will continue her role as Chairperson.

The event saw a detailed report on ABU Programme Activities spanning from December 2022 to October 2023, presented by Yasu Nagahata, Director of Programming at ABU. The subsequent Member’s Forum showcased successful international activities of the ABU Programme Department. This included notable mentions such as the Media & Culture Days in December 2022 and the ABU-RAI Days in March 2023, CARE 11 -Documentary Co-Production, and the ABU Robocon in August, among others.

Another notable segment was the special session on New Ideas & New Techniques, which highlighted members’ flagship content and innovative approaches in programme creation. Taewoong Lee of KBS-Korea, introduced a unique take on documentaries that make extensive use of archival footage. Hideaki Kato of NHK-Japan presented a major music program featuring internationally acclaimed singers, while Zhang Shilei of CGTN-China, and Nesryn Bouziane of ABC-Australia introduced their respective efforts in the digital media.

A lively 60 Seconds Pitch session allowed members to promote their programmes, projects, and events in a concise yet impactful manner. It featured pitches ranging from a “Free TV Programs Service” by Toru Goto of JAMCO, Japan, to “ITALIANA” by Simona Martorelli, RAI-Italy.

The curtains drew on the 55th Programme Committee meeting, with a highly contested election for a spot on the Programme Bureau. With both ROR-Romania and RTR-Russia vying for the position, it was Radio Romania (ROR) that was ultimately successful.