The overarching objective of the MTN Media Innovation Summit, which was held in collaboration with Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Nigeria; and University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, was to advocate for the sustainability and survival of the media business while empowering media professionals to drive innovation within the industry. Themed "Sustainability of Media Business in Digital Age", the summit was an integral part of the MTN Media Innovation Programme (MIP) study tour to South Africa to retool the skills of the 20 fellows to understand the evolving media landscape, and equip them to effectively utilise technology in creating impactful media content. Chiemelie Ezeobi reports
Among other initiatives, for three years, MTN, a telecommunication and ICT giant, found expression of their "What Are We Doing Today?" slogan by sponsoring the Media Innovation Programme (MIP), a six-week long fellowship at the School
of Media and Communication (SMC) of the Pan-Atlantic University (PAU) in Nigeria.
Spread across six months, it was targeted at selected media practitioners in the Nigerian space "to increase their knowledge and skill base and help them understand the changing media landscape, and how to effectively use technology to create impactful media content".
This week, the third cohort of the MIP converged on South Africa for a study trip targeted at highlighting the bilateral relationship of both countries, while equipping them on the skills and knowledge needed to drive sustainability of the media landscape in the ever evolving digital age.
As part of the Nigerian contingent to guide the fellows in South Africa were PAU SMC Director Professional Education, Prof. Isaac-Ogugua Ezechukwu; Funso Aina, Senior Manager, External Relations at MTN Nigeria; Public Relations Manager MTN Nigeria, Dr. Lakinbofa Goodluck; and Samsideen Akano, SMC Marketing and Coordination.
Sustainability of the Media Business
Thus to drive conversations and proffer solutions on how to sustain the media industry in the ever evolving digital age, the MTN Media Innovation Summit was held in collaboration with Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Nigeria; and University of Johannesburg (UJ), South Africa, on Wednesday, September 4, 2024.
Themed "Sustainability of the Media Business in the Digital Age", civil society, government, media professionals, and renowned academics, both locally and internationally, drove conversations on the challenges and the way forward.
Anchored by Dr Sifiso Minisi, Head, School of Communication, UJ, the summit delved into the concept of sustainability survival of the media business while empowering media professionals from both nations to drive innovation within the industry.
MTN's Quest to Build Media Capacity
On the continuous quest by the MTN Group to build media capacity, Senior Manager, External Relations, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Funso Aina, said the MIP was designed to foster such conversations, all targeted at innovating the media space.
He said: "The media plays an all important role in the society so they must speak truth to power while setting agenda for all. It was therefore to build capacity for media professionals that the MIP was born."
"To give you a view of how intentional this has become for us, today we have 20 of some of the smartest talent Nigeria has to offer from print, electronic and new media. To let you know how special these people are, we got over 5,000 applications and only 20 of them got in. That is to let you know how highly sought after this programme has become.
"Why are we doing it in MTN, an African ICT company. We believe very much that in any environment we operate, we owe it as a duty to also impact that environment beyond the telecommunications and ICT services that we provide
"The media in any society has a very important function to gain public trust, set agenda and speak truth to power to ensure we have a better society. So for us, it was how do we support the media, by helping them build their capacity, functioning like the tide that leads all roads at the same time.
"We know in many African countries, we know some of the challenges that we have and we know the media does not necessarily get all the training intervention and we thought it important to intervene and help them build capacity so they can not only report MTN better but also report African societies better so that at the end of the day, it's a win-win situation for us.
"It's something we will continue to drive as the year goes by and we feel at this stage, it will be important to have South African journalists come to Nigeria because we feel that as the two largest economy in Africa, if Nigeria and South Africa succeeds, the continent succeeds. It's important to continue to provide such leader and the way to do it is by helping the media to develop and grow."
Charge for Media to Sustain Commercial Viability, Quality of News
In the keynote address, the Honourable Deputy Minister in the Presidency, HE Keneth Morolong, charged the media to embrace the digital space as society depends on the quality of information they churn out, just as he clamoured that they should sustain not only its commercial viability, but the quality of news it purveys.
Quoting Walter Lipman's Liberty and the News book, Morolong said although "the health of society depends upon the quality of the information it receives", it is instructive to ensure a balance between profit making and sharing of quality information that insures that our
society is in good health.
Adding that the ecosystem of digital networks connects public administration to the active citizen; promotes economic growth, development and competitiveness; drives the creation of decent work; and underpins nation-building and strengthen social cohesion; and support local, national and regional integration.
For South Africa, he said the quest to digitise led to the institution of the 'Fourth Industrial Revolution' (4IR), which has been placed at the centre of digital policy in the country after its establishment in 2022.
The Presidential 4IR Commission and its immediate implementation government and stakeholder, he said expedited innovation in their country by building human capacity in the area of the 4IR; establishing the National Artificial Intelligence Institute; Creating the Advanced Manufacturing Institute (AMI); the establishment of a National Data Centre; and Incentivising SMMEs for the adoption of 4IR technologies and the emergence of future industries and platforms.
Stressing that South Africa needs a strong open data policy, he reiterated that the significance of profitability and revenue streams in the transformation debate cannot be understated either from advertising revenue, revenue from cover prices, competitive practices regarding advertising sales, government advertising and the impact of digital media.
He said: "The media terrain is highly contested and very competitive, and this must be taken into account in the drive towards transformation. Media companies in general play a fundamental socioeconomic role in society. The media and journalists facilitate the exercise of holding government and corporate leaders
accountable to citizens.
"Media companies are also at the forefront of the driving economy development in terms of their contributions to a country's gross domestic product (GDP), employment creation, general literacy and skills development."
Flaying the rise of fake news, predatory content and unscrupulous content creators, he said they are also creating a serious and ever-evolving threat to society as a whole, often derailing the public's trust in the media.
Shared Commitment to Empowering Media Professionals
Earlier in his welcome address, Vice Chancellor and Principal, University of Johannesburg, Prof. Letlhokwa Mpedi, said the collaboration represents a significant step forward in "our shared commitment to empowering media professionals and driving innovation across the industry.
"We are tasked with understanding innovation and the sustainability of the media business in the digital age.
Every facet of society is fundamentally undergoing a shift characterised by the injection of technology - innovation is key to our response to these shifts. Through the lens of the media business, we have seen a distinct evolution in mediums of media.
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" Traditional media forms have evolved into online publications, blogs, podcasts, tiktoks and social
media posts to name just a few examples. What this indicates is that there is still immense value we gain from media.
"As it is said, ignorance is a choice in this age. It is through media that we are able to disseminate information, shape public thought and contribute to a more meaningful and engaged society".
How MIP Has Strengthened Media Industry
In turn, Director of Professional Education, School of Media and Communication (SMC), Pan-Atlantic University (PAU), Prof Isaac Ogugua-Ezechukwu, highlighted the importance of the MIP and the successes recorded thus far since its inception three years ago, adding that the fellows in the three cohort so far has been exposed to the critical role that technology plays in shaping the media of tomorrow.
He said: "MIP is a gift and the best capacity building programme in Nigeria sponsored by MTN Nigeria for the Nigerian media. The programme has been helping SMC in achieving one of its cardinal objectives of the school, which is to strengthen the media industry.
"When you have a strong media, the nation society and culture starts to gain. The course content and research methodology continue to stir new thinking in media practice and empower the participants to better society.
Unsurprisingly, the programme has become a big success and is sought after in Nigeria."
For MIP Fellow, Chioma Chinyere Chukwuemeka, who also doubles as Radio/Tv Sapientia Onitsha, News Lead
"The ability of the media to tell the truth without bias is the biggest defender of journalism and will ensure its sustainability. Again, it's imperative to teach young journalists the business of media".
Also speaking, the Executive Dean, Faculty of Humanities, UK, Prof Kammila Naidoo, who was represented by Prof. Corne Meintjies - Vice Dean, Teaching and Learning, said media organisations must adapt to the changing landscape by embracing digital technologies.
