The Outlook: AI in the newsrooms in Africa

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[one_full last=”yes” spacing=”yes” center_content=”no” hide_on_mobile=”no” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” background_position=”left top” hover_type=”none” link=”” border_position=”all” border_size=”0px” border_color=”” border_style=”” padding=”” margin_top=”” margin_bottom=”” animation_type=”” animation_direction=”” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]This text comes from IPI’s newsletter The Outlook. Sign up to receive future editions directly to your inbox.[/fusion_text][separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”#d1d1d1″ border_size=”2px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]In this week’s newsletter, how can AI turbocharge the delivery of high-quality news in Africa? What is the role of smaller newsrooms in shaping the relationships between media and BigTech? To answer these questions join a new series of Virtual Newsroom Visits, kicking off on October 17 at 14:00 CET with Scrolla.Africa.

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The challenge: using AI for good (journalism)

As BigTech keeps landing partnerships with legacy media, we are yet to see a partnership outside of the Global West, as found in Media Finance Monitor. It is no secret that partnerships like this come with leverage that many small newsrooms of the Global South do not have, leaving it up to scrappers and other questionable uses for LLMs training. In our conversations with media organizations too, we hear the same question come up – how can smaller newsrooms take advantage of AI? How can they join the conversation about AI’s future in the media industry and BigTech? Can AI help local journalism thrive? What are the risks? Smaller and local publishers, journalists, and media organizations need to adapt to safeguard the value of their journalistic content and find new ways for its distribution. It is best to not do it alone.

The solution: Talk to likeminded partners

[/fusion_text][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”https://ipi.media/events/virtual-newsroom-visit-scrolla-africa-ai/” linktarget=”_blank” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][button link=”https://ipi.media/events/virtual-newsroom-visit-scrolla-africa-ai/” color=”default” size=”medium” stretch=”” type=”flat” shape=”pill” target=”_blank” title=”” gradient_colors=”#ff5733|#ff5733″ gradient_hover_colors=”#ff5733|#ff5733″ accent_color=”#ffffff” accent_hover_color=”#ffffff” bevel_color=”” border_width=”” icon=”” icon_position=”left” icon_divider=”no” modal=”” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”left” animation_speed=”1″ animation_offset=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””] Register to save your spot[/button][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Scrolla.Africa is a digital media platform combining high-integrity popular news with innovative low-data mobile tech, serving the continent’s vast, underserved middle class. Scrolla has been bilingual in Zulu and English since being founded in 2019.

Experimenting with sustainable ways to reach its audience, Scrolla launched its Data Lite site, which uses less than a 10th of the data of normal sites and has won a Google News Innovation award for this project. In 2024, Scrolla reached over 1.3 million monthly unique readers in its launch market of South Africa.

The Outlook: Media innovation unlocked 

Subscribe to The Outlook – IPI’s media innovation newsletter, covering the latest developments in media innovation, storytelling, audience engagement, and sustainable revenue streams

Join us!

Recently the organization has been rapidly expanding its use of AI tools to leverage its small news team and maximize distribution and revenue. We have invited the team of Scrolla to share their story and the approach to introducing new AI tools in the newsroom. We will hear about:

• The launch of Scrolla, its mission, primary objectives, and business model;
• Scrolla’s experience with low-data mobile tech;
• The use of AI in small newsrooms, like Scrolla and its transformative potential for the media in Africa.

At the newsroom visit, we will hear from:

• Mungo Soggot, CEO
• Zukile Majova, founding director
• Sbongile Nonyana, reporter and translator
• Dylan Bettencourt, news editor

If you are new to AI discourse in the media industry, check out the previous newsletter featuring insights from a fascinating lecture titled AI in the News – Re-shaping the Public Arena by Dr. Felix M. Simon (Reuters Institute).[/fusion_text][fusion_text]

Next Step Forward

Meet 10 news organizations joining Local News Accelerator 2024

[/fusion_text][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”https://ipi.media/meet-10-news-organizations-joining-local-news-accelerator-2024/” linktarget=”_blank” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][separator style_type=”none” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”” border_size=”” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]IPI Media Innovation and Sustainability team kicked off the 2024 Local News Accelerator, a five-month programme designed to provide 10 selected media organizations with skills and strategies to grow their audiences and empower their teams. Learn more about the selected organizations and their goals in the programme, including experimenting and introducing new tech solutions.

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Innovation Deck

Join IPI as Press Freedom Editor and Communications Coordinator (Africa focus)

Remote in sub-Saharan Africa, applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.

[/fusion_text][imageframe lightbox=”no” lightbox_image=”” style_type=”none” hover_type=”none” bordercolor=”” bordersize=”0px” borderradius=”0″ stylecolor=”” align=”none” link=”https://ipi.media/ipinetwork/press-freedom-editor-and-communications-coordinator-africa-focus/” linktarget=”_blank” animation_type=”0″ animation_direction=”down” animation_speed=”0.1″ animation_offset=”” hide_on_mobile=”no” class=”” id=””] [/imageframe][fusion_text]IPI is expanding our work to defend press freedom and independent media in Africa at a time when journalists on the continent face growing threats.

This position will have a strong focus on carrying out editorial and communications work as part of IPI’s growing Africa press freedom team, including a new program to combat the legal harassment of journalists in Africa by advocating for laws that respect fundamental rights to expression, information, and privacy. Join the team![/fusion_text][separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”#d1d1d1″ border_size=”2px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]

Other opportunities:

• Investigative Story Grant and Training Program for Indigenous and Tribal Journalists

Global, Apply by: October 16, 2024

• JournalismAI Innovation Challenge, supported by the Google News Initiative

Global, Apply by: October 10, 2024

• Data Journalism Grants

Global, Rolling basis

• European Climate Fellowship

Europe, Apply by: October 13, 2024[/fusion_text][separator style_type=”single” top_margin=”8px” bottom_margin=”8px” sep_color=”#d1d1d1″ border_size=”2px” icon=”” icon_circle=”” icon_circle_color=”” width=”” alignment=”center” class=”” id=””][fusion_text]Share your thoughts, reach out to the Media Innovation team and help us shape our media support programmes! Say hi – innovation@ipi.media.

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