India elected president of broadcasting body

India has been elected as the president of AsiaPacific Institute for Broadcasting Development ( AIBD) for the first time. The move is expected to help the country in leveraging itself as the broadcasting and media hub in Asia Pacific region.

Sources stated that India won by defeating Iran in an election that took place on August 3 in Sri Lanka. “India has secured the presidentship of AIBD for a period of two years,” sources added.

Asia- Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Deve- lopment ( AIBD), established in 1977 under the auspices of UNESCO, is a unique regional inter- governmental organisation servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific ( UN- ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development. It is hosted by the Government of Malaysia and the secretariat is located in Kuala Lumpur. The AIBD is mandated to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the AsiaPacific region through policy and resource development.

The Institute seeks to fulfil this mandate by mobilising the intellectual and technological resources available within the national broadcasting organisations of its member countries as well as regional and international bodies through a well- established infrastructure and networking mechanism which includes government agencies, non- governmental organisations, institutions of higher learning, private sector and individual professionals.

ABID currently has 26 Full Members ( countries), represented by 34 organisations, and 67 affiliate members ( organisations) with a total membership of 101 representing 48 countries and regions and over 50 partners in Asia, Pacific, Europe, Africa, Arab States and North America. The Asia- Pacific Broadcasting Union ( ABU) is a founding organisation of the Institute and is a non- voting member of the General Conference.