There remains, however, a question of commitment to these issues regardless of the capacity to get involved. Are the broadcasters prepared to act rather than talk? Do the policy makers understand the scale of the problem and the time-line involved in both challenges? Has the progress to date been good enough and fast enough? The two super panel forums at the GA will examine how far down the road we have come and discuss how far and how fast greater efforts are required in the future. If ever there was a time when the world’s media needed to talk to each other and co-operate with each other it is now – in a world suffering from both human and natural disasters – war, massive immigration crisis, poverty and climate change – all demanding the attention of public broadcasters as never before.

The digital age has arrived but are the strategic and programme policies in place to match the march of technology and audiences’ expectations and needs? The inaugural WBU conference, just after the ABU GA, will discuss the many challenges confronting the public broadcasters of today as the social role of media is rising as never before.