The rapid progress of the digital age is leading to revolutionary changes in the media. The Internet has already transformed the way we get our news, entertainment and communicate with each other. What other changes are on the horizon? That's the question facing hundreds of experts from across the world who have gathered in Beijing for a four-day Asia-Pacific Symposium on Press and Scientific and Social Progress.
From the newspaper...to the radio...to television...and, now to the Internet, the media have seen radical changes over the last century. With information technology evolving at a rapid pace, the future is certain to bring even more amazing developments.
200 scholars and experts from 12 countries and regions have gathered in Beijing to consider the impact of the digital revolution.
Participants at the forum said that with the birth of the Internet and the information super-highway -- traditional media will never be the same.
Zhou Guangzhao, chairman of the China Association for Science and Technology, said: "In 21st century, newspaper, magazine, broadcast and television will merge into a multi-media news platform, which will merge with electronic commerce, electronic medicine and so on."
Media experts say the multi-media news platform will become one of the most highly-competitive areas in the new century.
However, the growth of news media also means new problems. The Internet has made it easier to spread pornographic and violent matter, and has led to widespread violations of intellectual property rights.
Most delegates agree that being up-to-date with social progress in science and technology is important.
In coming days, participants will hold more discussions on the impact of the media revolution, and the strategy for traditional media development.
Advances in information technology have helped make the media more accessible to everyone. But where are we heading? And how can both the positive and negative aspects well be managed? Finding answers is very important for the healthy development of our society.
(CCTV.com November 4, 2001)
