Building connections across Asia: WKWSCI hosts inaugural symposium on media work

More than 40 scholars and practitioners from across Asia gathered at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information (WKWSCI) from 16 to 17 July 2026 for the inaugural International Symposium on Media Work in Asia. 

Co-hosted by WKWSCI and the Culture, Media and Creative Industries (CMCI) department at King’s College London, the two-day symposium brought together researchers and industry professionals to examine the conditions, practices and challenges shaping media labour across the region. 

The symposium explored the realities of working in Asia’s diverse media industries, with discussions spanning creative labour, industry structures, professional practices and the changing media landscape. Speakers and panellists shared grounded perspectives from their respective local contexts, creating space for open dialogue on both shared challenges and distinct experiences across different markets. 

The event featured keynote addresses by Professor Hye-Kyung Lee from King’s College London and Jasmine Ng from the Singapore Association of Motion Picture Professionals. Their presentations offered academic and industry perspectives on the evolving conditions of media work, while highlighting the importance of sustained engagement between researchers and practitioners. 

Across the two days, participants exchanged ideas on how greater regional collaboration could strengthen creative labour and media ecosystems in Asia. Rather than viewing media industries solely through the lens of competition between markets, the symposium encouraged conversations around shared learning, mutual support and the development of more sustainable conditions for media professionals. 

The event also marked the official launch of the Asian Media Industries Research Network, a new platform for sustained intellectual exchange and cross-border collaboration. The Network seeks to connect scholars, practitioners and students interested in the study of Asia’s media industries, while supporting future research partnerships, knowledge-sharing and dialogue across the region. 

The Network and symposium were spearheaded by Assistant Professor Pei Sze Chow from WKWSCI and Assistant Professor Siao Yuong Fong from King’s College London. Through their efforts, the symposium brought together an international community and laid the groundwork for longer-term collaboration between WKWSCI, King’s College London and partners across Asia. 

The inaugural symposium created new opportunities for global collaboration and research exchange at WKWSCI. By bringing academic and industry perspectives into conversation, the event provided a timely platform for examining how media work is changing and how institutions and practitioners can respond collectively to the challenges ahead.