Published : Feb. 23, 2012 - 18:51
The Asia News Network, an alliance of 21 media organizations in 18 countries, has elected Star Group Chief Editor Wong Chun Wai the new chairman.
The 51-year-old veteran journalist was endorsed unanimously by the members of the executive board during its annual meeting in Kathmandu last week.
The Korea Herald is a member of the world’s most active newspaper alliance, founded in 1998 to provide avenues for cooperation among Asian press.
He extended his vision of a more dynamic ANN as Asia plays an increasing role in global affairs.
“We need to take the ANN to another platform. At present, we have been successful in editorial content sharing but we need to look at a possible business model for ANN. There are many areas with revenue possibilities which we can explore,” Wong said.
Wong said the ANN has been recognized as a formidable media group in the region and he believed that more could be achieved by ANN.
Wong Chun Wai
“We should also consider introducing a CEO-level ANN meeting which will also include participation from business development and marketing directors of the various member countries.”
Wong joined the Star in Penang in 1984. He studied political science and history at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. He won the prestigious Malaysian Press Institute award for best news feature in 2003.
The meeting was hosted by the Kathmandu Post and supported by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung on Feb. 16-17. The editors also attended a conference on the “Himalayan System in a Changing Climate: Future and the Media’s Role.”
Nepali President Ram Baran Yadav delivered a keynote address, highlighting the media’s crucial role in raising climate change issues with the public.
ANN members are China Daily, China Post, Yomiuri Shimbun and Daily Yomiuri (Japan), the Island (Sri Lanka), the Korea Herald, the Statesman (India) the Straits Times (Singapore), the Nation (Thailand), Vietnam News, the Daily Star (Bangladesh), the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the Jakarta Post (Indonesia), the Star and Sin Chew Daily (Malaysia), the Kathmandu Post (Nepal), Vientiane Times (Laos), Rasmei Kampuchea (Cambodia), Brunei Times, Kuensel (Bhutan) and Dawn (Pakistan). Its website is www.asianewsnet.net. (ANN)