By Philip Tengzu, GNA Special Correspondent, Abuja
Abuja, Nov. 26, GNA – The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) says the rapid technological advancement has presented the media with an “extraordinary” responsibility to harness the digital innovation to promote democracy and sustainable development.
“These advancements compel us to re-imagine traditional approaches and visions and more interconnected, technologically advanced role for the media,” Professor Audrey Gadzekpo, a Board member of the CJID, stated.
Prof. Gadzekpo said this at the opening of the 2024 Media and Development Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, on the theme: “Navigating Global Shifts: Media and Technology for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in Africa”.
The CJID organised the conference in partnership with the USAID, Google News Initiative, Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, the National Endowment for Democracy and Open Society Foundations.
Others were the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, MacArthur Foundation, CIPE, the U. S. Embassy Ghana, Luminate, IFCN and the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
The conference, which also marked the tenth anniversary of CJID, attracted participants from across some West African countries including Ghana, The Gambia, and Sierra Leon.
It was to discuss the evolving role of the media in a technologically evolving era in promoting democracy and fostering development, particularly within the ECOWAS region.
The three-day conference discussed topics including Enhancing Journalists’ Safety Amid Increasing Threat to Civic Space, Amplifying Women’s Economic Empowerment: The Role of the Media in Driving Change, and Mobilising Climate Finance for Loses and Damage: Africa’s Pathway to Resilience and Equity in the Global Climate Agenda.
Prof. Gadzekpo said global technological advancement had given rise to digital innovation such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), which had raised ethical concerns such as data privacy, algorithmic bias and accountability.
She, therefore, stressed the need to build a collaborative media ecosystem to address the challenges to ensuring AI served the public interest and fostered equity.
She suggested investing in “local talent and culturally resonating programming to strengthen national identity and unity.”
Achieving digital inclusion must be a shared responsibility of governments, private sectors, and civil society collaboration to ensure access to digital technology for all citizens, regardless of one’s geographical location or income status.
The role of the media in upholding and promoting democratic principles could not be underestimated by empowering the citizens with information to make informed decisions, including elections, Prof. Gadzekpo said.
“By embracing pluralism and challenging the status quo, the media uphold the principles of democracy through independent ethics and integrity.”
Recognising disinformation as a significant threat to democracy, the CJID launched the DUBAWA fact-checking project in 2017 to champion truth in public discourse, public policy, and journalistic practice, while promoting media and digital literacy.
It had also established the Digital Artificial Intelligence and Information Disorder Analysis Centre to deepen its focus on navigating the intricate interplay between AI, technology, and information systems in Africa.
Madam Annika Hahn-Englund, the Swedish Ambassador to Nigeria, acknowledged the global shifts and need to navigate that shift.
She said efforts of credible/independent journalists and media organisations such as the CJID could help in navigating through that challenging period, particularly advancing press freedom and development on the African Continent.
The damage caused by disinformation and misinformation knew no borders, regardless of continent or region, and continued to pose a significant threat to the free press everywhere, she said.
GNA
