African journalists urged to prioritise accuracy in rebuilding public trust

African journalists have been urged to prioritise accuracy, ethical reporting and editorial independence in a renewed push to rebuild public trust and strengthen the credibility of the media industry.

The call was made during the inaugural Open African Tribune-East Media Forum held at the Hyatt Regency in Nairobi on Thursday, October 29, where journalists, media executives and industry stakeholders examined the challenges facing newsrooms and the future of journalism in East Africa.

Discussions centred on declining public trust, the growing influence of artificial intelligence, commercial pressures on media organisations, threats to press freedom and the need for African journalists to tell stories from perspectives rooted in the continent.

Veteran investigative journalist John Allan Namu challenged newsrooms to invest more in accuracy rather than competing to break stories first, warning against practices that undermine professional standards.

“We need to think about the investment in terms of how much we care about getting things correct as opposed to being right or first because a certain platform has not done so. We need to be better at calling out bad behaviour within our industry,” Namu said.

Media personality Terryanne Chebet noted that declining public confidence in journalism was part of a wider global trust deficit, challenging journalists to remain committed to their professional responsibilities despite growing scrutiny.

She cautioned against excessive self-censorship, arguing that journalists risk abandoning their core mandate when they become reluctant to question authority or investigate issues thoroughly.

“We have to keep pushing. If we over-censor ourselves, we lose what our purpose is as journalists. Yes, we are looked at as shallow at times, as we have become lazy. At times we are githeri media, and it boils down to laziness. Our work as journalists is to question headlines and see what else is beneath that,” she said.

Citizen TV news anchor Lilian Muli echoed the sentiments, saying journalists should prioritise factual reporting over sensational headlines and the pressure to generate online engagement.

“It's not always about breaking the story first; it's all about the story being factual. It's about asking the hard questions; it's about verifying your sources,” Muli said.

She warned that emotionally charged headlines and rage-baiting were undermining journalism's credibility, insisting that journalists must remain committed to facts.

Speaking on the sidelines of the forum, Open African Tribune Editor-in-Chief Naakuu Paul Birabi said the publication's approach to storytelling was informed by the need to develop narratives that reflect the shared social, economic and political realities of African countries.

“Our intention is to be able to create a narrative that is authentic to the continent. Regardless of where we come from, our stories are similar; our youth are also in a similar place, socially and economically, and their understanding of geopolitical issues is also the same across the board, which is why we take a continent approach to our storytelling,” Birabi said.

He said Open African Tribune was launched in 2025 and began operations in Nigeria before expanding its coverage to East Africa, which he described as an important region in understanding broader developments across the continent.

Birabi said the publication was focused on producing in-depth journalism that prioritises substance over presentation.

“For us, OAT, we are substance over style; we like to encourage people to sit back and consume our story in a meditative fashion,” he said.

The forum, held under the theme ‘Connecting Journalists to Shape Africa's Story,’ also featured a workshop titled ‘The Modern Journalist: Building Credible and Future Ready Newsrooms.’

The session explored newsroom innovation, fact-checking, misinformation, the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence and strategies for rebuilding audience confidence.

Participants further discussed the need for media organisations to invest in mentorship, professional development and sustainable business models while safeguarding editorial independence.

The discussions also underscored the role of audiences in developing stronger media literacy skills, particularly in an increasingly crowded digital environment where misinformation can spread rapidly.

Open African Tribune-East said the forum was part of its efforts to strengthen collaboration among media practitioners and promote credible, independent journalism that reflects African experiences.