Indonesia to host AMIC 2013 International Conference

AMIC's prestigious 22nd annual conference is to be held this year (4-7 July) in Yogyakarta, Indonesia.

In announcing the dates, AMIC Chairman, Professor Ang Peng Hwa, said that the organisation was delighted that Universitas Gadjah Mada, Indonesia's oldest and largest State University, would be hosting the event.

He has called on all AMIC members and other interested parties to make plans to attend the conference in July. "Additional details will be communicated to members and will also be available on our web-site", he said.

In reinforcing Professor Ang's comments, AMIC Secretary-General, Martin Hadlow, noted that "Yogyakarta is renowned as a centre of learning and culture" and went on to say that "it is therefore very fitting that AMIC’s members should come to this fine city for their annual conference. We are most grateful to our UGM colleagues for their kindness in agreeing to organise and host the meeting".

Universitas Gadjah Mada was founded in 1949 and currently has 18 faculties, 69 undergraduate programs, 24 diploma programs and a Graduate School. UGM is located in The Special Region of Yogyakarta, one of the smallest provinces in the country, but one which is widely known as the centre of Javanese culture as well as the centre of learning. It has 3,200,000 inhabitants, 511,000 of whom reside in the city of Yogyakarta.

AMIC's annual conference brings together scholars, industry professionals, researchers and educators from throughout the Asia-Pacific region and beyond to discuss topics of communication and media interest. A conference highlight is the awarding each year of a prize to an eminent communicator who has made a major contribution in the field.

Last year's AMIC meeting was hosted by UiTM in Shah Alam, Malaysia.

AMIC Board meets in Singapore

AMIC's strategic decision-making body, the Board of Directors, has met in Singapore to discuss future directions for the organisation.

A major topic of discussion at the recent meeting was AMIC's 2013 international conference to be held in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The Board also looked at questions of increasing membership, both institutional and individual, and in developing a new web-site for the organisation.

AMIC’s Board comprises senior communication professionals and academics from throughout the region. It meets twice a year and assists in formulating policy decisions which are presented to the Centre's members at AMIC's annual general meeting.

AMIC Board of Directors

(Front Row) Joseph Man Chan, Mohammed Zin bin Nordin, Maria Mercedes F. Robles, Eddie C Y Kuo, Binod Agrawal,
(Back Row) Gerardo Ramirez Josue , Martin Hadlow, K U Menon, Robert Seward, Cherian George, Ang Peng Hwa

Led by its Chairman, Professor Ang Peng Hwa of Singapore's Nanyang Technological University, the Board includes Ms Maria Mercedes F. Robles (Philippines), Professor Eddie C.Y. Kuo (Singapore), Dr. Mohammed Zin bin Nordin (Malaysia), Dr. Binod Agrawal (India), Dr. Robert Seward (Japan), Professor Gerardo Ramirez Josue (Philippines), Dr. Joseph Man Chan (Hong Kong) and Mr. K.U. Menon (Singapore).

On a day-to-day operational basis, AMIC is governed by a Board of Management, under the chairmanship of Dr. Cherian George (Singapore) and a small Secretariat team led by the Secretary-General.

Premier Radio Conference Planned for Hanoi

Broadcasting executives, programme producers, journalists and media scholars from around the world will be congregating in Vietnam's capital in July for this year's RadioAsia.

Renowned as Asia's key annual radio broadcasting conference, RadioAsia2013 is to be hosted by the Voice of Vietnam and will be held in Hanoi from 29-31 July. RadioAsia is jointly organised by AMIC and ABU, the Asia-Pacific Broadcasting Union.

Social media and the way in which it interacts with radio will be the focus of this year's conference. "The rise of the Internet has brought huge new challenges to all forms of electronic and print media" commented AMIC Secretary-General, Martin Hadlow. "The interactive nature of social media and the immediacy it brings to communications within nations and across the globe have revolutionised the way in which we consume radio."

Amongst other topics, RadioAsia2013 will look at such issues as the way in which social media, through Facebook, Twitter and other tools, is impacting on radio audiences. It will also discuss the interaction of citizens with their local radio stations and how radio broadcasters are harnessing the power of social media to gather breaking news stories and to encourage listener feedback.

Last year’s RadioAsia conference, which had the theme Connect me to the World was held in Jakarta, Indonesia.

New Web-Site Design to boost AMIC’s Services

In an increasingly on-line world, web-sites have become the 'digital shop window' of commercial agencies, Government institutions and ‘not-for-profit’ organisations alike.

AMIC, Asia's premier research, communication, information and publications centre based in Singapore, has been a long-time user of the Internet to reach out to its members and a general audience of interested web-surfers. Now, with the endorsement of the AMIC Board of Directors, its flagship web-site, www.amic.org.sg, is to undergo a massive upgrade.

The web-site will enjoy a complete make-over and take on a new image, becoming more user-friendly and enabling members and prospective partners to interact efficiently and easily with the organisation. A key feature will be the provision of an on-line membership renewal system, along with a conference registration site and secure on-line payment facility.

AMIC's publications and research capacity will also be prominently displayed through a set of menu options which will guide web-site visitors through the richness and diversity of AMIC’s 40 years of service to communications documentation in Asia. Visitors will also be able to purchase AMIC’s highly regarded periodicals, such as the Asian Journal of Communication and the quarterly Media Asia, directly from the site.

The award-wining Asian Communication Handbook 6th Edition, which took out first prize as 'Best Book on the Asian Media Industry' at the Asian Publishing Awards 2012 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia will be just one of a multitude of other AMIC publications which will be available for purchase.

New look for flagship AMIC Periodical

Now in its 40th year as AMIC's leading Asian quarterly periodical, Media Asia is to undergo a facelift and take on a new editorial direction.

Under the guidance of incoming Editor-in-Chief, Dr. Cherian George, the commitment of Media Asia to publishing original scholarly work remains unchanged. However, a new overall format will bring renewed vitality and reader interest. Dr. George, who is also Chair of the AMIC Board of Management, takes over the editorship role from former AMIC Secretary-General, Dr. Sundeep Muppidi, who will continue to serve as Editor of Research.

The new Media Asia will carry substantial new sections, such as case studies, opinion pieces, book reviews and interviews which highlight contemporary trends, ideas and concerns. The challenges in the Asian media landscape have grown more complex and exciting since AMIC launched Media Asia in 1974.

Thus, Media Asia vol. 40, Issue 1, due for release in March 2013, will be a bridge between researchers, educators, students, practitioners and policy-makers who are interested in engaging with media and communication inquiry at various points on the cycle of knowledge creation.

The periodical will not only present new findings contained in research articles, but will also signpost new directions for research, spotting pertinent questions and taking stock of how knowledge is being used on the ground.

Prospective contributors to Media Asia should visit www.mediaasia.info for more details on its new editorial direction. AMIC Publishing and Research Manager, Rachel Khan, is enthusiastic about the changes and says that "Media Asia will continue to be a must read for those who want to stay in the know."

If you need any further help, please email us at enquiries@amic.org.sg.