Professor Elizabeth Lubinga from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, and an Alumni of Makerere University, has urged journalists and students to embrace the digital age, citing the coming up of Artificial Intelligence (AI), which has transformed the world.

Prof. Lubinga made the remarks as she delivered her keynotes during the Annual Media Convention 2023, organized by the Department of Journalism and Communication of Makerere University, on Tuesday, October 12, 2023, under the theme Bringing Culture Back In: Media, Communication and Youth Engagement in the Digital Age.

She said that, the media professionals and youth should invest and harness social media, the digital world and AI as tools to attract the audience because, the media and audience have changed and gone more digital.

She stated that, the audience has changed from being perceive receivers to proprietors and innovators.

“Culture has never left, but I am talking about how culture can become an integral part of the media profession and youth engagement in the digital age. We’re already moving towards the internet of things with Artificial Intelligence and robotics,” Prof. Lubinga said.

Lubinga noted that, the media has gone digital due to the effects of Covid-19 which led to the closure of some media houses. She added that, some are prosumers and create content online, citing the digital news broadcasters.

“The youth are at the forefront of using social media and are proficient in creating content using Artificial Intelligence like Chart GBT which the academicians and media professionals need to catch up with the new phenomenon,” Prof. Lubinga said.

The Professor appreciated the transformative power of the media in driving positive and sometimes negative social change in preserving the cultural heritage and propelling social change.

She called for increased collaboration and inclusion of the youth in playing the catalyst role for innovation, participation and leadership in the future of their country Uganda, adding that they are more conversant with the digital and social media than anyone else.

“Africa has the youngest population and Uganda’s media age is 16 years only compared to Europe with the media age of 55 years. This means the youth need to be included in shaping the media of our country,” Professor said.

Prof. Lubinga noted that the changing pace of media and the dynamics of AI needs to be reflected on in the digital age, adding that there’s need to reflect on the media audience because it’s influx.

Jude Kamanyi who represented the Nabagereka of Buganda said that, the media and social media in particular is eluded with stereotype and filled with misinformation, and urged the media fraternity to fight it.

The Department of Journalism and Communication of Makerere University has for 35 years been involved in training a critical mass of journalism, media and communication professionals. For 25 years since 1998, it has held annual conventions with an aim of providing a forum for discussing the emerging issues in media, journalism, communication and society in Uganda and elsewhere in the world.