During a digital conference organised for student journalists from four universities in Juba, the Chairperson of Association for Media Development in South Sudan (AMDISS), Koang Pal Chang, who is also the Station Manager of Eye Radio, urged them to embrace and master new digital skills.
He emphasised the importance of being proactive in the face of potential job threats posed by Artificial Intelligence (AI) advancements in the journalism field.
Koang expressed concern that as AI technology progresses, employers might prefer deploying machines for more efficient and cost-effective ways to entertain, educate, and inform the public, potentially replacing human journalists.
Koang cited examples of how AI could be used in media, like generating public service announcements using someone’s voice without needing to hire a human voice actor. He highlighted the need for journalists to update their skills and transition from traditional to digital media to stay competitive in the evolving landscape.
The conference, supported by the Norwegian People’s Aid (NPA) through its media support project, gathered around 50 participants and focused on the theme “Freedom of Expression in the Era of Digital Media.” Koang mentioned that Eye Radio had already experimented with AI in its news programming and achieved satisfactory results. Despite the potential threats posed by AI, he assured participants that human journalists would still have a crucial role in news-gathering, as there are certain aspects that AI cannot replicate, such as physically going to the field to collect news.
Acting Director of AMDISS, Ms. Ayaa Irene Lokang, also the Principal of MDI, encouraged student journalists to make use of the AMDISS/MDI Peace and Resource Centre to enhance their digital knowledge and stay competitive in the job market. She emphasised the importance of responsible exercise of freedom of expression and press freedom while respecting the rights of others.
NPA Representative Joyce Maker reaffirmed her organisation’s commitment to supporting media activities in the country, stressing the significance of learning from experienced journalists and being responsible when using digital media.
Justice James Alala Deng, present at the inter-college conference, advised student journalists to adhere to journalism ethics and media laws to avoid errors in their newsrooms.
