By Oluwatope Lawanson
A University Lecturer, Dr Ganiyat Tijani-Adenle, has called for collective action to ensure the safety of journalists in the AI-driven media era.
Tijani-Adenle made the call at a media stakeholders roundtable on Artificial Intelligence, titled “The Media and Press Freedom: Issues and Perspectives.”
The event was held at the International Press Centre (IPC), Ogba, Lagos, to mark World Press Freedom Day.
The event was organised by IPC and the Association of Communication Scholars and Professionals of Nigeria with the support of IFEX.
According to her, journalists and media professionals must be able to perform their work without fear, threats and be protected from harm.
Tijani-Adenle from the Faculty of Communication and Media Studies, Lagos State University, Ojo, spoke on a paper titled, “Advancing Journalist Safety: Stakeholders’ Role in AI-Driven Media Era.”
The media expert urged media employers to invest in continuous media and information literacy training, provide protective technology, offer life insurance, ensure freedom of expression and address impunity.
She also called on journalism unions and associations, such as the Nigeria Union of Journalists, to advocate for Rapid Response Units, awareness campaigns, and legal and policy advocacy.
Tijani-Adenle advised academic institutions to update their curricula, build tech literacy, and develop competent AI utilisation tools, recommending partnerships with technology and media companies.
On individual responsibility, Tijani-Adenle emphasised that journalists must take proactive steps to protect themselves from physical and digital harm and verify information to avoid publishing misinformation.
“Even though we expect media employers to protect us and put some things in place, the onus is still on every individual journalist to protect themselves,” she said.
She advised journalists to ensure their safety and the integrity of their work by getting adequate media and information literacy.
“The need for collective action to ensure journalist safety in the AI-driven media era cannot be overemphasised.
“We must work together to create a safe and secure environment for journalists to perform their duties without fear or intimidation,” she said.
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