Last week, the Turkmen capital hosted the International Sports Media Forum, organized in the framework of the International Conference dedicated to the Asian Games-2017 and the role of Turkmenistan in the development of sport for peace and prosperity. The forum brought together foreign and native specialists of the sports industry, media experts, representatives of sectoral agencies, sports organizations and the mass media. In particular, representatives of a number of large international news agencies, such as CNN International, AP, Sports News Television, Sport Business, Korean Broadcasting System, and others arrived in Ashgabat to participate in the forum. Well-known experts of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), the International University Sports Federation (FISU), the World Taekwondo Federation, the Olympic Committee of Russia, the Executive Directorate for sports projects, and other prestigious sports and information organizations were supervisors of the forum sessions. In the course of sessions, consideration was given to experience in organization and media coverage of a number of large international competitions, including the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games and the 2013 Summer University Games in Kazan. Special discussion was devoted to how large sporting events can transform host cities, make an impact on development of the economy, recognition of national brands and countries in the international media space, formation of their image. The experts focused attention on a role of the mass media in the coverage of sports events in the modern age of digital information technology. The potentialities available for operational date broadcasting, as well as the change of a traditional role of the mass media, given growing significance of social media were considered as well. In the course of discussions, forum participants agreed on the fact that Turkmenistan, whose head Gurbanguly Berdymuhamedov pays great attention to the development of sports infrastructure, in particular, to construction of the one-of-a-kind Olympic Park, as well as training of specialists for the sector, may qualify for hosting high-level international competitions in short-term prospect. The upcoming Asian Games-2017 is the first experience.