Tung to lead SOPA as chairman

Hong Kong - Terence Tung, chief executive officer of One Media Group, has been elected chairman of the Society of Publishers in Asia, replacing Alan Lammin who steps down following his retirement as publishing director of Time Asia.

Christina Lee, Asia managing director for BusinessWeek, has been elected deputy chairman.

Tung, currently CEO of One Media Group which publishes Ming Pao Weekly and Hi-Tech Weekly in Hong Kong as well as Top Gear Hong Kong licensed under the BBC, said while overall readership of media continues to climb, there are many challenges facing the print business.

"As the 21st century advances, publishers are facing new challenges to their traditional business models as content migrates online and audiences continue to fragment into smaller clusters," he said.

He added that SOPA has dedicated itself to preserving freedom of the press in the Asia region and to ensuring that independent, quality journalism is observed, encouraged and acknowledged.

"SOPA continues to work hard in acting as a hub for the establishment of guidelines, standards and voicing opinions that affect the industry across Asia."

Tung said under Alan Lammin's leadership, SOPA has enjoyed a resurgence in membership, gained respect across the region and cemented partnerships with associations in Japan, Europe and others countries.

"I'd like to extend my personal thanks to Alan," he added.

The SOPA board also appointed Randy Weddle (managing director Asia Pacific at the International Herald Tribune) as the honorary treasurer and Diana David (regional circulation & business development director Asia at The Financial Times) as the chairman of professional training & events sub-committee.