Asia-Pacific Media Forum to start next week

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Indonesia will host the first Asia-Pacific Media Forum (APMF) from March 13 to March 15 in Tanah Lot, Bali, organized by the Association of Asia Pacific Advertisement Media.

"During the forum participants will discuss critical issues in advertising media," the co-chair of the APMF organizing committee, Gunadi Suharso, said on Tuesday.

With about 350 participants, the two-day event is expected to focus on five objectives: increasing advertising industry standards, improving the understanding among advertising industry players, utilizing the resources within the region, providing networking opportunities for agencies, media, advertisers and researchers, and opening up new business opportunities.

Gunadi said the APMF would feature top industry figures as speakers, including Ian Garland of Nielsen Media Research, Pradeep Guha of Zee Telefilms Ltd. and the global media director of Unilever Plc., Alan Rutherford.

The APMF organizers will also invite media specialists, owners of media enterprises and related industry professionals to discuss the changing dynamics in the media industry.

APMF co-chair Baty Subakti said Indonesia had a great deal of potential as an advertising market.

"We expect advertising expenditures in Indonesia this year to reach Rp 26 trillion (US$2.79 billion)," he said. In 2004, advertising expenditures were Rp 20 trillion, he added.

The secretary-general of the APMF, Anindya Bakrie, said the growth in advertising expenditures was partly the result of the abolishment of monopolistic business practices in the country.

He said that when companies lost their monopolies they had to begin advertising their products and services in the media. (004)