Global South seeks to break Western grip on media narratives
Summary
Media leaders from the Global South at the 7th World Media Summit in Beijing called for closer cooperation to counter Western-dominated narratives and expand their reach through technology. They said unequal access to media networks, funding and digital tools continues to limit how their stories are told globally.
Key Points
- Media leaders from the Global South say Western outlets dominate international news narratives and often frame their countries through conflict, poverty and crisis.
- Speakers at the 7th World Media Summit in Beijing argued that structural imbalances in funding, distribution and technology limit Global South media visibility.
- They called for stronger South-South cooperation, better telecommunications infrastructure and more digital and AI skills to reach global audiences directly.
- Executives from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uzbekistan, Peru and Malaysia said local media need fairer access to global information networks and more balanced coverage.
