NEWS AGENCIES FROM ASEAN countries involved in the ASEAN News Exchange (ANEX) moved closer to using the Internet as a means of exchanging news and information among themselves during a seminar on Editorial Management and the Internet convened recently by ANTARA, Indonesia's national news agency, in cooperation with ASEAN- COCI.

The seminar brought together some 30 journalists, information officials and information technologists from seven ASEAN countries who exchanged perceptions and insights on the potentials and pitfalls of the Internet as a facility for editorial management.

Since the ANEX network still uses leased lines in their delivery systems, the participants recommended that ASEAN news agencies explore the feasibility of ANEX using the ASEANWeb in their exchanges of news and information.

Addressing the Seminar, Subrata, the Indonesian Director-General for Press and Graphics, reminded the participants that while mass media in the ASEAN region are being technically enhanced through satellite and data banking technologies, they should be wary about caryying media content from elsewhere in the world that may foster negative values which could be detrimental to the interest of ASEAN countries.

During a break in the seminar which was held at the premises of ANTARA, the participants went on an observation tour of Republika, a Jakarta daily, and the ASEAN Secretariat where they were briefed on the ASEANWeb.