Needless to say, our ever-changing world of information revolution has brought the emergence of hundreds of new products and services, ensuring the promotion of the global economy. Belarus is part of this, as President Lukashenko stressed in his address to the Belarusian people and the National Assembly. The informatisation of society is being conducted on a national scale, covering all areas of life, without exception, promoting the renewal of the state.Specialists from various spheres are employed on this task, as was evident at the TIBO and Mass Media in Belarus forums. Everyone from mobile operators and medical specialists to tourist agencies and the media is digitalising information, making it more widely accessible to the public, and easier to store and retrieve. Of course most printed magazines and newspapers already have online versions, incorporating multimedia galleries. Journalists also blog and chat with readers via social networks.
When reading a greeting from the President of Belarus at the opening of the 17th International Mass Media in Belarus Specialised Exhibition and 20th International TIBO—2013 Specialised Forum on Telecommunica-tions, Information and Bank Techno-logies, Alexander Radkov, the First Deputy Head of the Presidential Administration, Internet versions of Belarusian media became publicly accessible sources of fresh information. The State Secretary of the Union State of Belarus and Russia, Grigory Rapota, noted, “He who owns information, owns the world.” A common information space has now appeared. “Mass media around the globe has an independent online presence, thanks to the Internet,” said Mr. Rapota. “We are keen to encourage its development, rather than see it destroyed.”
The Mass Media in Belarus event was held as part of TIBO-2013, since the latest technologies and print media are inseparable. Online and PDF versions of most publications exist, while video calls enable news to be reported directly from the scene; centralised telephone exchanges ensure quality and modern technologies allow news to be related faster than ever.
TIBO also presented the latest surveillance systems and 3D home TV sets. Systems for recording road accidents were on display, alongside Horizont’s plans for digital television broadcasting. Beltelecom showed its ‘smart home’ technology, which can be used to remotely control home appliances, lighting and heating.
“Belarus is paying considerable attention to the development of high technologies,” asserted the Deputy Prime Minister of Belarus, Anatoly Kalinin, at the opening of the exhibition. “We’ve created a complete system via the High-Tech Park and Ministry of Communication and Information, generating over $500m for the state budget from service exports. I’m convinced that these exhibitions will significantly expand the influence of Belarus in the field of information technologies.”
Foreign guests agreed that the TIBO and Mass Media in Belarus international exhibitions are promising economic and investment platforms. Ali Mohammed Oglu Abbasov, Azerbaijan’s Minister for Communications and Information Technologies, noted, “Conditions have been created to showcase the latest developments and there are opportunities to discuss current issues in the field of new technologies and mass media.”
Over 300 companies, from 30 countries, presented modern developments and technological solutions, including representatives from about 600 publications — from Belarus, Russia, China, India, Cuba and Venezuela. Major companies set up alongside regional authorities, allowing levels of efficiency to be compared. The Gomel Region’s stand saw visitors looking at a virtual 3D-view of the town of Petrikov and a system of online diaries for parents. Meanwhile, the Minsk Region presented a new version of the Minsk Region Executive Committee’s website, with e-services.
Deputy Information Minister Vladimir Matusevich stressed that new technologies are vital to the media. He explained, “Mobile formats are of particular interest, allowing readers to receive all the same articles as are present in printed editions, using a tablet or cell phone. More than half of the Belarusian population is using the Internet so media editions need to master new formats, especially if they want to attract a younger readership. The slogan for the 17th Mass Media in Belarus Exhibition is ‘Convergence, multimedia, interactivity’.”
By Vasily Kharitonov
