At the opening of the 2024 Digital Media Africa Conference in Nairobi, Churchill Otieno, President of The Africa Editors’ Forum (TAEF), delivered a stirring keynote address on the critical challenges faced by media professionals across Africa.
He emphasized that the weakening of independent media poses a significant risk to democracy, allowing false information and manipulation to thrive. Otieno called for innovative solutions to address the sustainability of media businesses, stressing that media regulation should not only protect press freedom but also ensure the economic survival of the industry.
Highlighting the need for new revenue models, he proposed reinvesting funds recovered from corruption cases into the media sector.
This, he argued, would enable investigative journalism to thrive and strengthen democratic governance.
Otieno also underscored the importance of protecting intellectual property, noting that media content is frequently exploited by tech platforms without fair compensation. In response, African editors are mobilizing to reclaim their rights and harness the power of data to enhance journalism and business resilience.
Otieno urged media organizations to invest in research and development to stay competitive and relevant in the fast-changing digital landscape.
He encouraged robust discussions at the conference to explore solutions for a more sustainable and independent African media ecosystem.
