OPINION: BWIRE- Content monetisation latest issues media must deal with not Artificial Intelligence or data protection

The contrary is the reality, that media industry does not need favors to operate but a conducive policy environment, skilled leadership; for the demand for quality, responsible and analytical information is huge. 

While channels have changed, people have not stopped reading or listening or watching news in this country, what has changed is when, where and how they consume media content. 

While artificial intelligence has leveraged the various media platforms and enhanced media convergence, a model that has helped media reduce operational costs in the long run, content monetisation requires media to engage differently in playing the public interest role while at the same time getting revenue to sustain its operations while such laws as on data protection only helps media to professionally release responsible and public interest content. 

These emerging issues are not necessarily a threat to media sustainability but require investment and highly competent human skills.

Our governments must realise that the digital economy and information societies they aspire to built in our countries wont work- large populations leave in the rural areas with poor internet and electricity connectivity coupled with high illiteracy rates that make relying information provision on digital platforms a hard sale. 

Print, radio and TV still dominate our homesteads for news especially on live saving skills that majority citizens want. 

In fact, with converged newsrooms, its even now difficulty to separate new media from traditional media, and for mass public education as the information society mantra requires, we need friendly policies that promote access to information and freedom of expression.

Credible information and more importantly, freedom of expression is an enabler for development- and development requires mass support and understanding, for without the involvement of media in this process makes it hard for those in leadership to communicate what they area doing, leading to frustration.

Policy makers and industry leaders must appreciate that new innovations like Al are better domesticated and industries made to benefit from them rather than seen as tools for isolating. 

Yes social media has transformed the media landscape but notice that it has also created information inequalities – for how many community based media or local language based media outlets or  content creators can afford to use AI in their information gathering and dissemination or can install current anti plagiarism software in their work- this innovations are favoring big  media corporates at the expense of the small media outlets outside major towns- which is not helping the society.

We need to help these stations and journalists to engage with big techs and other content users to pay for media content they cheaply pick from our journalists and media instead of creating adversarial relations between the media and the big techs. 

Do our copyright laws sufficiently protect original content creators against content theft? 

Is there sufficient policy and administrative support to media to sustain the information society and public understanding of governance and national development issues?

Do deal data protection and minimise threats associated with flouting data protection laws, stakeholders in Kenya under the Media council of Kenya have development a guide for media use on data, which provides principles for data governance for journalists, media practitioners and media enterprises.  

The guide recognises the need for the media sector to balance and reinforce the right to privacy while promoting the right to freedom of expression through responsible journalism. 

To deal with AI, the industry has developed a guide for the media industry in their use of AI in execution of their roles and functions the adoption of AI technology in the media sector in a way that follows legal requirements and international best practices.

The primary objective of this guide is to ensure responsible and effective management and use of AI by media enterprises and media practitioners. 

In addition to relooking at the for example the tax regime on broad sheets and broadcasting equipment, and fair administrative practices with the media, and aware that solely depending on digital media will not give us the information society we require and the danger of creating another information inequalities given our urban-rural population and illiteracy dynamics, the country needs to rethink its handling of the media sector as a partner in national development and not necessarily through the elections Lense.

Media is an industry that creates jobs including for the youth, and programs aimed at helping them start media SMEs, monetise their content through working to create a relationship with big techs and protecting them against theft of their content creations are more urgent and practical than concerns solely on editorial content- editorial content is already taken care through the various ethical standards required of the media.