Paragraph 1: The 20th Asia Media Summit (AMS 2025) convened in Siem Reap, Cambodia, focusing on the critical need to combat disinformation and navigate the rise of AI. Media leaders from across the Asia-Pacific region gathered to address the challenges and opportunities presented by the rapidly evolving digital landscape. The summit, themed “Celebrating Two Decades of Excellence & Beyond,” aimed to chart a proactive course for the future of media, emphasizing the importance of empowering citizens with reliable information in an era of rampant misinformation and the transformative impact of artificial intelligence.
Paragraph 2: Concerns over the declining trust in information and the fragmentation of understanding despite increased connectivity dominated the opening remarks. Cambodian Minister of Information Neth Pheaktra highlighted the paradox of the current age, where abundant information coexists with declining trust. ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn echoed this sentiment, acknowledging the unprecedented transformation of the global media landscape and the challenges posed by information fragmentation and the “verbalization” of popular media brands. The summit aimed to address these concerns by promoting regional cooperation, empowering citizens, safeguarding trust, and fostering a well-informed public sphere.
Paragraph 3: The summit put significant emphasis on combating the pervasive threat of disinformation. Minister Pheaktra detailed Cambodia’s “Say No to Fake News” campaign, a nationwide initiative combining civic education, fact-checking, media monitoring, and grassroots outreach to enhance public media literacy and equip citizens to distinguish between information and manipulation. He stressed the need for collective action, emphasizing that no country can tackle disinformation alone and advocating for collaboration based on shared values and technological cooperation.
Paragraph 4: Cambodia’s media landscape has undergone a significant transformation over the past two decades, evolving from a limited number of radio and TV stations to a diverse ecosystem encompassing various media platforms. Hosting the summit for the second time underscored Cambodia’s commitment to media development. Minister Pheaktra acknowledged the challenges of digital disruption, including shrinking advertising revenue and the rise of online misinformation, and outlined the government’s efforts to support the digital transition through training, infrastructure investments, and collaboration with tech firms and journalism schools.
Paragraph 5: The integration of AI into the media industry emerged as a key topic of discussion. While recognizing the potential of AI to revolutionize content creation and distribution, participants also acknowledged the risks associated with deepfakes, data bias, and automated misinformation. AIBD President Gaurav Dwivedi highlighted the opportunities presented by AI tools for transforming communication, user management, and audience engagement, while also emphasizing the importance of ethical considerations. Minister Pheaktra proposed the development of a joint regional charter for AI ethics in journalism to ensure transparency, fairness, and respect for human dignity.
Paragraph 6: The summit reaffirmed the fundamental purpose of media in an era where virality often overshadows veracity. The focus was not solely on speed and innovation but on the core values of informing, empowering, inspiring, and uniting. The commitment from leaders at AMS 2025 signaled a determined effort to ensure that citizens are empowered with the truth and the tools to navigate the increasingly complex digital landscape. The summit emphasized the crucial roles of media literacy, professional integrity, and human-centered values in guiding technological advancement for the public good.
