Global South seeks to break Western grip on media narratives

This photo taken on Nov. 5, 2026 shows a scene at a sub-forum titled Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Chinese Modernization during the 7th World Media Summit in Beijing.

(Xinhua/Zhang Chenlin) BEIJING, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- Media leaders from the Global South called for closer cooperation at the ongoing 7th World Media Summit to challenge Western-dominated narratives that often reduce their countries to conflict, poverty and crises while overlooking achievements and innovations.

In interviews with Xinhua, media executives and experts said the international media landscape remains structurally imbalanced, with major Western media outlets wielding disproportionate influence over news distribution, resources and narratives. Deeper technological cooperation could help Global South media expand their reach, amplify their own voices and bring a wider range of perspectives to the international discourse, they said.