ABU Global News Forum 2025 – Journalism Under Fire
ABU Global News Forum 2025 – a landmark gathering brought together newsroom leaders, journalists, technologists, and media visionaries from across the Asia-Pacific and beyond. Under the powerful theme “Journalism Under Fire”, this year’s forum tackled the urgent challenges confronting the news industry, from algorithmic bias and disinformation to journalist safety and public trust.
A damaged camera, along with an opening video depicting the hardships faced by journalists, marked the second day of the ABU News Group Meeting & Global News Forum.
Among those present at the opening ceremony were Prof. Mehmet Zahid Sobacı, Director-General of TRT and President of the ABU; Prof. Fahrettin Altun, Head of Communications at the Presidency of the Republic of Türkiye; and Ahmad Assaf, General Supervisor of Official Media in the State of Palestine.
In his speech, Ahmad Assaf stated that journalism today is not merely a profession but a struggle for truth—especially in conflict zones like Palestine. He also called on the international community to protect journalists through new regulations and legal frameworks.
The sessions featured during second day:
- News Leaders’ Forum
- Conflict reporting panel – Gaza/Palestine
- TRT Journalists with Conflict Reporting Experience
- Presentation – Investigative journalism in Economic Affairs
- TRT showcase – Innovation in News
- Panel discussion – Fake news and disinformation
- Presentation – News integrity in the Age of AI, 5 principles
- Panel discussion – Big tech and algorithm bias: Affecting the future of news
- Showcase – GenAI in the newsroom
- Panel discussion – Journalism under fire
The ABU News Group Meeting & Global News Forum concluded on 23 May 2025.
