The jobs of the future in African audiovisual media were at the heart of discussions in Cadenabbia during the international forum held from 5 to 8 November 2025 in Italy by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS), in partnership with the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

AUB Director General Grégoire Ndjaka argues that the era of the purely generalist journalist is ending and outlines the Union’s strategy for preserving the relevance of public-service journalism in the face of digital transformation.

What are the main structural and financial challenges African public broadcasters must overcome to become “active innovators”?

The media landscape is no longer simply evolving; it is undergoing a profound transformation. The boundaries between radio, television and digital have largely disappeared. Traditional operating models are becoming obsolete, while organisations are moving from vertical broadcasting structures to horizontal, multiplatform content production. This convergence is reinforced by artificial intelligence, big data and automation. Broadcasters must move beyond the role of passive producers and become active innovators.

How can broadcasters retrain staff from traditional occupations toward new strategic jobs?

Media organisations must anticipate new professions created by technological change. Journalists and TV producers increasingly need skills in data journalism and audience analytics. Editors need to become multiplatform content architects capable of ensuring coherence across radio, TV, web and social platforms. Broadcasters also need cybersecurity specialists, community moderators and Media and Information Literacy (MIL) focal points, as well as AI specialists and prompt engineers able to supervise the responsible use of artificial intelligence in newsrooms.

How can public-service media protect editorial and financial independence in an age of misinformation?

Beyond technology, trust remains the central issue. In periods of elections, health crises and political tension, public-service media can act as a major safeguard against misinformation. Continuous professional training is therefore essential so journalists remain guardians of integrity and ethics rather than amplifiers of political or industrial interests. AUB has already organised several fact-checking and verification training initiatives in recent years.

How does AUB assess the impact of training initiatives, including the Mauritius MIL programme?

The future of African public-service journalism depends on hybrid skills. Journalists need critical thinking, ethical standards, verification skills and responsible storytelling. This is the role of Media and Information Literacy. AUB regularly organises training programmes for journalists and technical staff across Africa, including the strategic seminar held on 30 and 31 October 2025 in Mauritius with UNESCO support.

Integrated digital skills are equally important: web production, mobile journalism, platform management and online engagement analysis. Adaptability and resilience are crucial in African environments often marked by financial constraints and technological challenges. Broadcasters must also rethink financing models and develop online monetisation strategies.

Which areas are AUB’s priorities for partnerships and funding?

AUB sees South-South and North-South cooperation as essential, especially for sharing best practices in human-resource restructuring, training curricula and technological tools. AUBVISION, the Union’s pan-African content-exchange platform, illustrates this approach and responds to growing international demand for credible information about Africa.

Continuous professional development is a top priority. AUB is working to integrate Media and Information Literacy into African newsrooms and to build member capacity in artificial intelligence and data analysis. The Union is also seeking funding for pilot projects that allow public broadcasters to test and deploy innovative technologies while ensuring that credible and verified information remains accessible to all audiences.

The media jobs of tomorrow

Traditional journalist/TV producer → Data journalist / audience analyst: use data to identify audience needs and guide public-interest reporting.

Editor-in-chief → Multiplatform content architect: coordinate production across radio, television, web and social networks.

Broadcast technician → Cybersecurity and data-protection specialist: protect digital infrastructure and citizens’ data.

Generalist journalist → Community moderator / MIL focal point: manage public interaction, debates and media literacy.

Developer / IT engineer → Prompt engineer / AI specialist for media: develop and supervise responsible use of AI for transcription, translation, content generation, monetisation and broadcaster applications.

Interview by Irène GAOUDA.