By Achadu Gabriel, Kaduna
Africa Media Development Foundation (AMDF) Saturday felicitated with African Journalists on the 2025 Press Freedom Day.
A statement by Manager, Press Freedom, Zhiroh Jatau noted that the Day was proclaimed in 1993 to ensure freedom to seek, impart and receive information for public good and sustaining democracy.
The 2025 Press Freedom theme “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom”, focussed on a challenging phase of media practitioners in Africa.
“The theme is indeed timely as journalists are gradually coming to terms with the union of the tech world and the profession.
” AI has come to stay and with it comes a baggage of advantages and new challenges. Journalists and the Media at large must be challenged to develop practical approaches in maintaining ethical practice, high level professionalism and sustaining jobs.
“The influence of AI affects information flow, press freedom, media independence, thereby creating a thin line for professionals in the pluralistic media space. Most media houses are yet to fully go digital and this further shuts them out of being contributors to the digital information library.
“As professionals, we must bare in mind some risk involved with the use of AI, top amongst them is the easy and quick flow of false and misleading information as well as promotion of hate speech, and ensure we do not fall into it.
“The need to adapt to the technological advances cannot be overemphasized as even financial growth of media houses is also at risk while smaller outlets may have to close as they will be considered irrelevant and run out of subscribers.
“AMDF calls on journalists and all stakeholders in the media to create an environment where these issues among many others will be addressed urgently in healthy discussions among government, civil societies, tech industries and media practitioners.
“As Agenda setters, Journalists should be the major information hub for any generative news and media content online. As such African Journalists, should take full responsibility in learning and adapting to the use of AI.
“As we reflect on the growth of Media in Africa let us profer progressive steps towards sustaining the role of professionals in AI information vault.
“As we reflect on press freedom, AMDF remembers those who have paid the ultimate price in the quest for truth and fairness, we also salute the courage and resilience of all Journalists who have remained steadfast in spite of threats and intimidation”, it stated.
The AMDF stressed that it wished all Journalists a happy 2025 Press Freedom Day celebrations!
