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Context

• India has been elected president of the Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) General Conference (GC) for the third successive term.

Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD)

About

• The Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) is a regional inter-governmental organization.

Establishment

• It was established in 1977.

Vision

• The paramount aim of the Institute is to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia Pacific region through policy and resource development.

Mission

The Institute:

-Encourages regional dialogue and cooperation in electronic media policy of the Asia Pacific region;

-Provides an Asia-Pacific regional platform for international cooperation in electronic media development;

-Assists member countries in human resource development in the electronic media, consistent with their development needs;

-Assists member countries with electronic media consultancy.

Aim

• Servicing countries of the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN-ESCAP) in the field of electronic media development.

Founding Organizations

• The International Telecommunication Union (ITU), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) are founding organizations of the Institute and they are non-voting members of the General Conference.
• The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a founding organization of the Institute and is a non-voting member of the General Conference.

Membership

• Full membership of the AIBD is confined to sovereign states and they are invited to designate the broadcasting authority of the country to be the beneficiary.
• The AIBD currently has 26 Full Members (countries), represented by 34 organizations, and 67 Affiliate Members (organizations) 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.

Host and Secretariat

• It is hosted by the Government of Malaysia and the secretariat is located in Kuala Lumpur.

Mandate

• The AIBD is mandated to achieve a vibrant and cohesive electronic media environment in the Asia-Pacific region through policy and resource development.

Mechanism

• The Institute seeks to fulfil this mandate by mobilizing the intellectual and technological resources available within the national broadcasting organizations 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 organizations, institutions of higher learning, private sector, and individual professionals.

Objectives

• The strategic plan of the AIBD calls upon the Institute to play a more assertive role for the benefit of its present and future members by serving as the regional platform to encourage dialogue and cooperation in the electronic media policy of the Asia-Pacific region, taking full account of emerging current and global, regional and national issues;

-The window for regional policymakers to access information to worldwide mass media policy formulation and regulations and vice versa.

-A vehicle to establish inter-regional links and cooperation for media and communications development.

-A think-tank for the development of regional programming that reflects the traditional values of the Asia-Pacific region.

-An agent of change in the regional IT environment.

-A catalyst for national media development, taking account of new partnerships between manufacturers, service providers and governments.

-A media consultancy resource house to assist member countries.

-A reference centre and provider for human resource development.

PRACTICE QUESTION Q. Consider the following statements with reference to Asia-Pacific Institute for Broadcasting Development (AIBD) 1.    The Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union (ABU) is a founding organization of the Institute. 2.    It is hosted by the Government of China and the secretariat is located in Beijing. 3.    Full membership of the AIBD is confined to sovereign states and they are invited to designate the broadcasting authority of the country to be the beneficiary. How many of the above statements are incorrect? A) Only 1 B) Only 2 C) All 3 D) None Answer: A) Only 1