Bernama Web TV, Southeast Asia's first live Internet news channel, has been launched by Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi at his office in Putrajaya.
The web version of the 24-hour news channel can be accessed from around the world at the www.bernama-tv.com website.
The new platform is another milestone for Bernama, coming exactly a year after it had launched Bernama Radio 24.
In his speech, Abdullah said the media should not be afraid of or feel apologetic in upholding the truth.
"Upholding the truth is a fundamental principle towards ensuring that justice prevailed.
"Hold steadfastly to the principle of truth because the credibility of any institution depends on how strongly the institution upholds the truth," he said.
Abdullah said the introduction of the online version of Bernama TV would enable Malaysians anywhere in the world to follow news on the country real time.
At the same time, it could enable the world community to know more about Malaysia and follow developments in the country, he said.
Interestingly, leading news agencies in the Asia-Pacific region are meeting in Baku, Azerbaijan to discuss ways to ensure the speedy dissemination of unbiased and objective news around the world.
With the theme "Information for all in the Globalising World", the 30th executive board meeting of the Organisation of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA) is expected to formulate strategies to enhance cooperation among its members.
Aslan Aslanov, Director-General of the Azerbaijan State Telegraph Agency (AzerTAc) says in a contemporary world of globalisation and integration, access to unbiased information for all was a necessity.
However, he said even when inter-civilisation dialogues between the East and West had become topical as never before, there were still some media organisations that were continuing to spread biased and distorted information, sometimes to the extent of even insulting religion or national values.
"And this is nothing but an incitement to hatred and extremism," added Aslan.
Formed in 1961, OANA currently groups 41 news agencies from 33 countries including Bernama from Malaysia, Antara (Indonesia), Xinhua (China), Kyodo (Japan), Yonhap (South Korea), IRNA (Iran) and Anadolu (Turkey).
Antara CEO Dr Ahmad Muchlis Yusuf, current President of OANA, said OANA's priority under Antara's three-year leadership after taking over from Bernama last year would be to build closer relationships, starting with a programme known as internal consolidation.
