As artificial intelligence reshapes the media landscape, a media publisher has said that regulatory bodies and associations must come together to create policies for AI usage that address ethical limitations and potential challenges.
Monday Ashibogwu, Managing Editor of Quick News Africa, spoke on Wednesday in Lagos during a one-day ‘Media Stakeholders Roundtable on “Artificial Intelligence, The Media and Press Freedom: Issues and Perspectives.”
The event was organised by the International Press Centre (IPC) in Lagos, in collaboration with the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria (ACSPN) Southwest.
Speaking with PREMIUM TIMES, Mr Ashibogwu noted that the collaborators must align the media-specific AI policy with the national policy on AI and ensure that employment is not threatened.
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“All media stakeholders from the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations, Advertising, Regulatory Council of Nigeria, Press Council, Guild of Editors, Union of Journalists, Guild of Bloggers, all these critical stakeholders need to come together, sit down together and create a framework on AI,” the media expert said.
“The policy on AI usage in the media is very fundamental.”
He added that the media professionals should look at issues that cause ethical disharmony in the sector.
Mr Ashibogwu also emphasised the need for journalists to understand how AI operates, particularly in generative AI, which relies on frequently used words and experiences.
He explained the impact of AI on newsroom productivity and its ability to target specific audiences based on data analytics.
AI and press freedom
Mr Ashibogwu stressed the need for journalists to understand the legal, potential risks, benefits and ethical implications of AI in journalism and the need for responsible governance.
He also urged media organisations to have policies and mechanisms in place to protect journalists and ensure the integrity of their reporting.
On her part, Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle, a media lecturer at the Lagos State University, examined the critical issue of journalist safety in an AI-driven media sector.
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Mrs Tijani-Adenle said journalists must protect their work tools, sources and maintain digital hygiene.
She urged media organisations and journalists to invest in continuous media and information literacy training.
Earlier, Melody Akinjiyan, IPC press freedom officer, presented a 2024 documentation of attacks on journalists in Nigeria.
According to their findings, state actors perpetrate the most attacks against journalists.
Also, Gbemiga Ogunleye, a media expert and former provost of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism, in his opening speech, encouraged journalists to join the association, stressing the value of feedback from professionals to improve media education.
He said input from media professionals will shape the curriculum in media studies, which will ensure that graduates possess valuable skills when entering the media industry.
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