President of Journalists Association of Korea (JAK) Kim Dong Hoon has said science and digital technology are evolving faster than ever and journalism may face “unprecedented crises” if they do not prepare for the future.

“This is why we must reflect on issues and develop solutions now,” he said while speaking on the first day of the five-day World Journalists Conference-2023 that began in Seoul on Tuesday, seeking collaborative efforts for a brighter future for journalism globally.

Kim said although participants from around the world have different nationalities, races, genders, and ideas, they all share the same identity as journalists who strive for truth, freedom and peace with sharp reasoning and warm hearts.

“We now live in an era where we can access the news and information we need anytime, anywhere with a single smartphone. Things that were unimaginable just a few years ago have become a reality,” he said.

Under the topic of “The Challenge of Journalism for Regional Development”, journalists discussed solution case studies that examine local community issues and propose solutions.

The session was moderated by Professor Emeritus at Chungnam National University Cho Sung Kyum. 

The session titled “Leadership in the Digital Transformation Era and the Future of Journalism” was moderated by Jung Min Ho from Journalists Association of Korea 

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Korea Press Foundation Chairperson Pyo Wan Soo, in his congratulatory address, said the conference will serve as a platform for journalists from around the world to reflect, share ideas, debate and collaborate.

“A Unified Heartbeat”

Anupa Kurian Murshed, Senior Digital Content Planning Editor at Gulf News, said the end goal must be the same — to sustain a brand, its leadership, through quality and trusted content.

She said leaders must ensure everyone is inspired to come along on this exciting new journey filled with challenges, unexpected surprises, and successes too.

“The unity of vision is imperative. This holds especially true in the digital age. To use the Latin phrase — Unus pro omnibus, omnes pro uno — which means all for one, one for all. And that's the core of what a successful newsroom of the future will be,” Murshed said.

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She said it needed a consistent, content-focused strategy while incorporating and adapting to trends, technologies, and tools. “The keywords — sustained innovation but managed by following the ‘fundamental tenets’ of journalism.”

“Everything was fact checked, proofed, bias-cleared and double-sourced, no matter what the competitors did. We succeeded because it was a constant thought process that was filtered down from top management to the very last employee,” she said, highlighting the newsroom leadership and journalism in the time of AI.

And therein lies the core truth of what the future holds for the newsrooms and journalism at large — media houses, its investors, journalists, and support teams, including finance and marketing, have to all function on a unified heartbeat.

Losing Best Brains

Mohamed Asmieu Bah, director of media and public affairs of Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation, said the smartphone circulates the news before the newspaper, radio and television can do so.

This speed in bringing out the news where “professionalism is at times killed” makes the job of traditional media very challenging, he said.

Bah said the media in many West African countries are losing some of its best brains to other professions because the “grass in the media is not greener.”

He said seasoned editors and veteran anchors of television and radio talk shows are either becoming public relations experts or migrating to other professions which they believe will earn them more money to take better care of themselves and their families.

Content is Still the King

Deputy Chief Editor of the New Media Center at Xinhua News Agency Zhou Ning said they do not need to feel “inferior or even fearful” as content is still the king. 

“We must recognise soberly that although the media landscape, public opinion ecology, and communication targets have undergone profound changes under the impact of new media and new technology, the rule that "content is the king" remains unchanged, no matter how advanced or diverse the means of new technology are in the era of digital transformation,” he said.

As a journalist, in a breaking news situation, he said, “You must go deep into the scene to obtain first-hand information promptly. You must vigorously conduct research and practice physical, visual, mental, and writing skills.”

Ning said a journalist must go deep into the fields and find his or her roots among the people to obtain the most accurate, authentic, and effective first-hand information, rather than relying on second-hand information generated by artificial intelligence such as ChatGPT, and strive for the most fundamental attribute of news-truthfulness.

“This is something that no iterative technology can replace," he said, adding that they should cautiously apply the latest achievements of artificial intelligence in news production and report the latest developments in AI to the general audience.

Deputy Foreign Minister of South Korea, Choi Youngsam spoke at the opening ceremony of the World Journalists Conference-2023 hosted by JAK and supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; and Ministry of Foreign Affairs of South Korea.

The issues related to countering fake news, misinformation and disinformation, advertisement, collaborative journalism and alternative revenue generating models were also discussed.