Newsrooms across Africa must focus on original reporting, human experiences, trust and content that offers value beyond breaking news, especially as artificial intelligence and changing audience habits are forcing media organisations to rethink how news is produced, distributed and monetised.
This was the submission of stakeholders from the media, academics and tech space at the fourth edition of Pan-Atlantic University’s Media Roundtable with the theme “Beyond the Byline: Monetising Journalism in the Age of Artificial Intelligence.
Bureau Chief, West Africa at CNBC Africa and keynote speaker at the event, Temitayo Fagbule, said journalists could no longer compete with artificial intelligence on the speed and volume of content production.
He said the changing media environment required journalists to redefine the value of news by moving beyond conventional breaking news to content that informs, educates, explains and connects with audiences.
Using the traditional gong used by town criers as an illustration, Fagbule described news as a “sophisticated cultural object” capable of serving several purposes beyond simply announcing information.
He said the evolution from the town crier to newspapers, radio, television, smartphones and artificial intelligence showed that journalism had continually adapted to new technologies and audience behaviour.
According to him, audiences are increasingly time-poor and want clearer writing, simpler formats and content that helps them understand events and their implications.
He urged journalists to focus on areas AI cannot easily replicate, including interviews with real people, on-the-ground reporting, context, human interaction and the ability to ask follow-up questions based on a source’s reactions.
Fagbule also called on newsrooms to develop multiple forms of content from a single story, including breaking news, data, interviews, explainers and follow-up reports.
He cited The New York Times as an example of a media organisation that has expanded its value proposition by combining journalism with products such as sports, cooking, puzzles and shopping advice.
Fagbule said the challenge for media organisations was to produce journalism distinctive enough for audiences to seek out and pay for, rather than competing with AI on speed or volume.
“Before you can monetise, it actually has to do with standout journalism,” he said, identifying original, independent, high-quality and trusted reporting as central to the future of journalism.
Also speaking, Software Engineer at the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), Muzamil Oreoluwa, said AI should be treated as a tool for improving newsroom efficiency rather than simply as a threat to journalists.
Oreoluwa said AI could reduce the time required for tasks such as transcription, research, data analysis, document extraction and monitoring, allowing journalists to concentrate on more demanding aspects of their work.
He, however, stressed the need to fact-check AI-generated outputs, noting that the technology relies on pattern recognition and can still produce inaccurate information.
According to him, the growing volume of misinformation has increased the need for journalism to provide verification, as audiences increasingly rely on credible news organisations and journalists to determine whether information circulating online is accurate.
He said CJID had developed AI-powered tools to support journalists with transcription, information extraction and verification, including tools capable of handling Nigerian English, Ghanaian English and Pidgin.
Oreoluwa said the organisation had processed more than 1,000 audio files, extracted over 8,000 items and recorded more than 450 users and 30,000 usage hours through its tools.
He also introduced Dubawa AI and Dubawa Chatbot, which he said could help users verify information and enable journalists to monitor emerging misinformation and trends, particularly on WhatsApp.
Earlier, Head of Communications at Pan-Atlantic University, Temitope Falade, said the growing accessibility of AI had made it possible for people without formal journalism or media training to create and distribute media content.
Falade said the development had significant implications for the media industry, particularly as traditional advertising revenue had declined or shifted towards digital platforms while audiences had become increasingly fragmented.
She said media organisations were now competing not only with one another but also with technology companies, influencers and a vast volume of digital content for audience attention.
Falade said the challenge was to develop sustainable revenue models without compromising editorial independence, credibility and public trust.
According to her, media organisations needed to explore new products, services, partnerships, data and technology while ensuring that audiences recognised the value of credible journalism.
She added that sustainable media businesses were necessary to support the resources required for quality journalism, including training and paying journalists, investigative reporting, technology and distribution.
The roundtable also featured a panel session examining how media organisations could diversify revenue, develop specialised audiences and communities, and use emerging technologies without sacrificing the public value and credibility of journalism.