Journalist safety, rising disinformation, public trust, and financial sustainability kicked off discussions among news leaders at the 2026 Global News Forum.

A Malaysian retiree’s simple complaint that television news is “too long” offered a telling glimpse into the industry’s digital shift. Shahri Saripan, Director of News and Current Affairs at RTM Malaysia, shared how his 79-year-old father recently abandoned TV and radio for smartphone news, proving that changing consumption habits span every generation, not just Gen Z and Gen Alpha.

Shahri noted that public broadcasters face a twin challenge: reaching audiences with shorter attention spans while protecting credibility against AI-driven misinformation.

Donna Field, then-Acting Director at Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News, similarly emphasised the struggle to stand out in an overcrowded media ecosystem. While journalists remain committed to public-interest reporting, Field noted that newsrooms must radically adapt their formats and platforms to navigate shifting political climates, online toxicity, and safety risks.

Meanwhile, Chevaan Daniel, Group Director at Sri Lanka’s Capital Maharaja Group, focused on commercial survival. He highlighted the delicate balance between maintaining independent journalism and ensuring financial viability. Drawing on Sri Lanka’s history, Daniel stressed that credible journalism plays a vital role in preventing conflict, making audience trust essential even when newsrooms make mistakes.

The threat of physical conflict was raised by TRT Türkiye Deputy Director General Ahmet Görmez, who pointed out the immediate dangers facing journalists reporting near active war zones. He warned that wartime disinformation has become increasingly aggressive as opposing factions attempt to manipulate global public opinion.

Moderated by ABC Global Affairs Editor Laura Tingle, the panel shared ‘The State of Journalism in the Asia-Pacific’: whether adapting to digital habits or reporting from frontlines, modern public-interest journalism must evolve rapidly to survive.