Kuala Lumpur: The HAWANA 2025 Media Forum, scheduled to take place at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) tomorrow, is set to provide valuable insights from key figures in the industry concerning the latest developments in the media landscape.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, as Malaysia progresses with the establishment of its Media Council amid rapid technological advancement, the forum will begin with a discussion titled 'Malaysian Media Council: Regulator or Media Protector?'. This will be succeeded by a technology-centered session, 'AI and Media: Tool, Threat or Opportunity?', which will examine the influence of artificial intelligence on the media industry.

The forum aligns with HAWANA 2025's theme 'Journalism in the New Era: Embracing AI, Safeguarding Ethics', and aims to offer meaningful insights and objective viewpoints to assist industry participants in navigating the continuously evolving media environment.

In the initial session, attendees will have the chance to engage with Malaysian Media Council pro-tem committee chairman Premesh Chandran; Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) executive director Wathshlah G Naidu, and Star Media Group senior news editor Philip Golingai.

The sharing session will feature contributions from Professor Datuk Ahmad Murad Merican of the International Institute of Islamic Thought and Civilisation, International Islamic University Malaysia (ISTAC-IIUM); Astro Awani senior editor Nazri Kahar, and FMT Sdn Bhd's Head of Bahasa Malaysia and Video Unit Zahrul Alam Yahya Shahir.

The event, expected to draw 250 participants including international guests, students, and key figures from the local media industry, will be moderated by Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) broadcast journalist Jessy Chahal.

Following the two-hour forum, the highlight of tomorrow's proceedings will be the official launch of HAWANA 2025 by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. More than 1,000 media practitioners, alongside representatives from local journalist associations and media organizations from ASEAN member states, have been invited, fostering a platform for media professionals and industry experts to exchange ideas and establish strategic partnerships.