On May 15, as part of the XVI International Economic Forum "Russia — Islamic World: KazanForum – 2025", a media session was held on the topic "Media of the Future in the Present: Content and Technologies". Participants discussed how new technologies and innovations affect the generation and distribution of content. The organizers were the Group of Strategic Vision "Russia — Islamic World" (Group) and the Republican Agency for Press and Mass Communications "Tatmedia".
Tatmedia CEO Aidar Salimgaraev recalled that in 2023, the city of Kazan hosted more than 1,000 journalists at major events, including the BRICS summit and the Future Games.
"Tatarstan is a dynamically developing region, with a rich culture, a strong economy and a stable society," said Salimgaraev. The region is a leader in investment, technology and industry, and Kazan is strengthening its position as a center for international cooperation.
In the nomination "Russia - Islamic World" an award was presented for contribution to the coverage of the dialogue between Russia and the Islamic world. The first laureate was the General Director of the Union of News Agencies of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Muhammad Al-Yami.
"If we want to organize an event, we are provided with a venue. If we want to hold a master class, we receive support. Mr. Al-Yami deserves this award," said Anna Belikova, an expert in the field of international media and an adviser to the Group, who also moderated the media session, after the award ceremony.
The Director of the OIC Information Department, Abdulhamid Al-Salihi, emphasized the scale of the Organization. It is the second largest intergovernmental organization after the UN, with 57 member states located on four continents. At the same time, the OIC's media activities are carried out through the Information Department.
“We are constantly updating our communication strategies, strengthening digital diplomacy,” Mr. Salihi emphasized. According to him, there is significant potential for cooperation with Russian media. The Russian Federation has been an observer in the OIC since 2005, which promotes cultural exchange and mutual understanding.
"It has been 20 years since the Russian Federation began its presence in the OIC as an observer. In this regard, we, as the Group of Strategic Vision, plan to hold a number of events on behalf of the Russian Federation in honor of the anniversary date," said Deputy Chairman of the Group Marat Gatin, noting the important role of the OIC Information Department in the ongoing media session.
“We are glad to see representatives of the Islamic world media not only in Kazan, but also in other Russian cities,” Gatin also said, before handing the floor over to the moderator.
"This is a breakthrough agreement between a major Russian media company and the OIC Union of Information Agencies (UNA - editor's note) in the media sphere, " Belikova shared her opinion, talking about one of the stages of cooperation. We are talking about the signing of a memorandum between the Russian Sputnik and UNA in 2021.
Already in 2023, Tatmedia proposed holding an extended media session within the KazanForum with the participation of outstanding speakers and heads of news agencies. An agreement was also signed between Tatmedia and UNA. "But I must say that UNA was the inspiration," Belikova emphasized.
Chairman of Malaysian National News Agency “BERNAMA”, Wong Chun Wai, gave a powerful speech on the rapid changes in the media industry, stressing that "the future is already here" and calling for responsibility in an era where technology is redefining the rules of the game.
According to the speaker, artificial intelligence, including ChatGPT and DeepSeek, already writes better texts than many professionals, and social networks like TikTok and YouTube have turned ordinary users into “powerful media moguls.”
Virtual, augmented, and mixed reality technologies are “no longer science fiction”, Wong says, but tools that “change the way we perceive information.” They are transforming how we learn, empathize, and remember. But with these opportunities come new risks.
“With great power comes great responsibility,” said Mr. Wong. He concluded by expressing confidence that despite all the challenges, the media industry will have a bright future – if professionals, technology companies and society work together.
Indira Zharova, head of the Moscow division of the international video agency RUPTLY, spoke about the use of AI during the filming of the Parade dedicated to the 80th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War.
RUPTLY organized a broadcast for 159 media outlets from 58 countries, despite strict security measures and the resulting lack of internet. Artificial intelligence helped to quickly translate content into different languages.
“In the face of tight deadlines, AI is irreplaceable, but the final check is always done by a person,” the speaker noted. “We are proud that we were able to show this event to the world.”
Amged Mohamad Shawki Bishri Ahmed Osman, Senior Advisor to the Middle East News Agency and Editing Manager at Middle East News Agency (MENA, Egypt), spoke about the development of MENA.
Over the past 70 years, the news agency has gone through four key stages of technological modernization: from the era of primitive tools like rotary printers to the launch of its own Internet portal in 2017 and multimedia services.
While the last decade has seen rapid growth in MENA, the agency's goals remain unchanged: providing objective coverage of regional and global events, producing multilingual content, supporting international media, and training journalists from Africa and the Middle East.
“States must promote the modernization of the media by ensuring access to verified information through official sources,” concluded Mr. Amged Mohamad.
Deputy CEO of Gazprom-Media Holding Boris Khanchalyan shared the company's key achievements. Despite its young age (27 years), the holding demonstrates serious results: 9 TV channels, 10 editions and 11 production studios. At the same time, special attention is paid to the growth of digital platforms.
“We have maintained record production times – from idea to screen in 4 months,” said Khanchalyan, announcing the further expansion of Gazprom-Media Holding’s activities in the markets of China, Turkey, and the UAE.
Director General of the Union of Information Agencies of the OIC Muhammed Al-Yami explained what the strategic media cooperation of the OIC and Tatarstan includes. In addition to the joint work of the UNA and Tatmedia, this includes the preservation of cultural heritage and the introduction of artificial intelligence into news platforms, which will improve the quality of information and more effectively combat disinformation.
According to Mr. Al-Yami, the media is currently at a crossroads: the future of the sector depends on the extent to which the new generation is involved in generating ethical and quality content.