Future of journalism discussed w Cerbone

(ANSA) - Moscow, May 24 - A roundtable discussion on 'The Future of Journalism' was held Thursday at the Economic Forum of St Petersburg.
    Many international media organizations including ANSA were invited. "The future of journalism," ANSA CEO Giuseppe Cerbone noted during his speech, "must focus on its longstanding basics: ethics and professionalism." The event was moderated by Mikhail Gusman, vice president of the News Agency World Council (NACO) and Clive Marshall, CEPO of the British Press Association.
    Panelists included - in addition to Cerbone - Russia's TASS director general Sergey Mikhaylov, Christine Buhagiar, head of the Europe section of Agence France-Presse (AFP), Sung-Boo Cho, chairman and CEO of the Korean news agency YONHAP, DPA chairman Peter Kropsch, and Ian Phillips, deputy chief of the international desk of the American Associated Press (AP). "In the current market context," Cerbone stressed, "work methods must certainly change, with an increase in flexibility and the ability to use new forms of technology more and in a more efficient manner. However, the basics of journalism - news, analysis, verification and in-depth study - remain the foundation on which the future should be built." He added that "the scenario is more complex for publishers, marked by several factors linked to the rapidity with which market needs, technology and business models are evolving; to the growing need for regulation on copyright issues; to the need for a healthy economic management model and - last but not least - the presence of important world players such as Google and Facebook." "Other elements essential for survival and development for publishers include uninterrupted analysis of a market in constant evolution, respect for client privacy, innovation, product quality and rapid execution," he stressed. "ANSA, one of Europe's top news agencies, has always put these principles at the center of its development strategy."