OANA President Aslan Aslanov, who is also Chairman of the Board of the Azerbaijan State News Agency (AZERTAC), delivers a speech at the Hanoi meeting on April  18, 2019 (Photo: VNA)

The 44th Meeting of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) Executive Board which opened in Hanoi on Friday with the theme “For a professional and innovative journalism” also deals with fake news and fact-checking, and waning trust in mainstream news.

Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam.

Addressing the opening ceremony, Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Vu Duc Dam said: “The meeting’s theme sums up the goals and guidelines set for the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies and its members. An innovative journalism will attract the public while a professional journalism will maintain and consolidate the trust of the public in the traditional press, especially against the spread of fake news. Moving journalism in a professional and innovative direction will strengthen media organizations.”

The meeting hosted by the VietnamNews Agency has gathered 40 representatives of major news agencies including Azertac of Azerbaijan, Russia’s TASS, China’s Xinhua, and Japan’s Kyodo News.