ABU CON-FEST 2024 a resounding success

ABU CON-FEST 2024, a unique platform bringing together producers from around the world to share experiences and discuss impactful content creation, concluded successfully, buzzing with attendance from public broadcasters globally.

The event kicked off on July 2 with a humorous keynote by Khairy Jamaluddin, who entertained the audience with his journey from a sacked politician to Malaysia's top podcaster. The opening was followed by sessions such as a presentation on the ABU Prizes Winners' Circle, a panel discussion on content production and distribution in the Asia-Pacific region featuring Dato' Kamil Othman, chairman of the National Film Development Corporation Malaysia (FINAS), and an energetic "60"Pitch" session where public broadcasters pitched their programs under a strict time limit.

Day 2 focused on radio and its dynamic evolution. Hosted by Kartini Ariffin, the day featured a vibrant panel discussion titled "R/Audio - The Next Century" with leading voices from Radio Televisyen Malaysia (RTM), Radio Republik Indonesia (RRI), Media Prima Audio, and TRT Turkiye. The discussions highlighted the need for radio to adapt to technological advancements while maintaining the human touch and personality of real-life DJs. Other sessions included discussions on the power of local radio and highlights from Radiodays Europe and Radiodays North America, presented by Nessa McGann, a media consultant from Radiodays Europe, Ireland.

Day 3 centered on digital content and featured a notable presentation by Thi Uyen Nguyen from Nhan Dan Newspaper, Vietnam. She showcased the innovation of print newspapers in Vietnam, highlighting the Panorama Edition, a unique 9-metre tall print commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Dien Bien Phu Battle. The edition included QR and AR scanning for interactive content and was translated into six languages, making it a global sensation. Despite the challenges facing print media, this edition demonstrated its potential for monetisation and popularity.

Alongside sessions such as the above, there were also many masterclasses on various aspects of content production.

ABU CON-FEST 2024 combined ABU's signature content events: ABU TV-CON, ABU RadioSonic, and #ABUdigital. The event brought producers together to share experiences and discuss creating impactful content. This year's sponsors included RCS Sound Software, Media Prima, Tourism Malaysia, and RT.