Sustainable journalism aims to create a news media system that is financially stable, environmentally conscious, and socially responsible.
The Sustainable Journalism in Practice (SJIP) conference was held in Nairobi in March 2023. It brought together more than 140 delegates from over ten countries to explore innovative ways of doing and understanding journalism. The conference was convened by the Aga Khan University's Graduate School of Media and Communications, Fojo Media Institute of Linnaeus University, the Wits Centre for Journalism (WCJ) at University of Witwatersrand, and the Sustainable Journalism Institute. This was the first conference of its kind in the region.
The aim was to investigate tools and methods used to develop constructive, sustainable, and relevant innovations for journalism, grounded in an African context and based on the core values of independence and public interest.
“It's time to form a new kind of journalism that incorporates a new kind of thinking. Business as usual is not an option. The age of gatekeeping has been over for about 15 years and we are in an era where people are empowered to build their own media startups, doing everything from research and collaboration, to distribution and advertising, right from their phones. So many news companies are trying to force-feed old media concepts into new digital formats, and it doesn't work. This has led to a decline in relevance, trust, and most of all, revenue," said President and Founder of the Sustainable Journalism Partnership, Lars Tallert.
Professor Nancy Booker, Interim Dean of AKU's Graduate School of Media and Communications, expressed her hope that during the conference, attendees would not only take the opportunity to reflect and celebrate, but also consider the role of journalism in the face of significant challenges in the environmental, social, political, and economic sectors.
To increase awareness of challenges and safeguard lives and livelihoods, it is necessary to develop a fresh perspective on the function of journalism in society. According to Fojo Media Institute “sustainable journalism recognizes the importance of social responsibility, diversity, and ethical reporting practices in producing journalism that reflects the values of the communities it serves".
This means that to achieve sustainable journalism, traditional journalism must be revisited with a focus on six areas: journalism content; business models; production and distribution of new information; gender mainstreaming and inclusive news media organizations; education; and research.
"Sustainable journalism must evidence inclusivity and diversity by being as diverse as its audiences are. Companies with diverse executive teams are more likely to enjoy above-average profitability. Including youth in organizations brings profitability, and Africa's young population must be intentionally included in all spheres for sustainability," Prof Booker said.
She also emphasized the significance of research, education, and training in sustainable journalism and the vital connection between journalism and sustainability.
The three-day deliberations saw a number of recommendations, including leveraging the expertise of the Graduate School of Media and Communications Media Innovation Centre to offer training, mentorship and coaching to teams working on innovative media products across East Africa. Learning institutions were also advised to incorporate sustainable journalism modules in short courses and academic courses, seek additional resources to conduct research, and develop graduate and undergraduate courses that embed sustainable journalism. There was also a suggestion for scholars from Africa and the Nordics to write and publish journal articles on sustainable journalism.
The plan is to adopt action points from the conference and continue to promote ideals which the Sustainable Journalism Partnership hopes to entrench within media institutions around the world. Diversifying revenue streams, building loyal audiences, collaboration and innovation are key to ensuring the long-term sustainability of journalism.
“This conference is a gesture of an international commitment to make journalism sustainable financially, socially and culturally, and to ensure that journalism provides evidence and fact-based content to set the agenda on sustainability in all facets of life," said WCJ director, Dinesh Balliah. “We are deeply committed to sustainability and to journalism that is shaped by Africa and its everyday realities."
