In brief
The 7th World Media Summit drew roughly 500 participants from 112 countries to discuss unified media standards and the regulation of artificial intelligence. Belarusian Telegraph Agency chief Andrei Mokhar emphasized the summit’s contribution to cross‑border cooperation and trust restoration in journalism, calling the event a diplomatic corridor to reduce misinformation. He urged the development of universal AI guidelines and equitable access to tools for newsrooms worldwide.
The 7th World Media Summit held in Beijing from November 5 to 9 brought together about 500 representatives from nearly 330 media organizations, think tanks, government bodies and international organizations across 112 countries and regions. Belarusian Telegraph Agency director‑general Andrei Mokhar told Xinhua that the summit is a “strategic platform for dialogue and coordination in addressing shared challenges” and that it fosters collaboration and a common ground among media outlets worldwide.
The summit’s theme, Media in the Intelligent Age: From Consensus to Action, aimed to reaffirm the commitment to objective journalism, discuss responses to technological challenges, and develop joint positions on regulating artificial intelligence (AI). Mokhar said that the conference facilitated the exchange of technologies and experience and identified areas of convergence in reporting global topics.
Mokhar highlighted the necessity of establishing unified standards to combat misinformation, stating that “a harmonised framework is essential to reducing misinformation, strengthening public trust in news, and preventing serious errors when content is produced or disseminated without proper human oversight.” He noted that technology companies evolve faster than legislation, underscoring the importance of universal AI standards that cross national borders.
“While open dialogue cannot instantly end information warfare, it is a key mechanism to break the cycle of misinformation by serving as a diplomatic corridor for media,” Mokhar said in his interview with Xinhua.
Looking ahead, Mokhar hopes for substantive discussions on AI that include ensuring equal access to tools for newsrooms in different regions, marking synthetic content, and safeguarding authors’ rights. He emphasised the need to set clear “rules of the game” for IT giants driving rapid AI development to protect journalists and show readers that truth remains attainable.
Although the dialogue focused on global media resilience, Mokhar also mentioned the burgeoning collaboration between Belarusian and Chinese media, signalling that cross‑border cooperation will extend beyond the summit’s immediate outcomes.
