African Journalists Seek Stronger China-Africa Media Cooperation as AI Reshapes Newsrooms

By Iyojo Ameh

African media professionals have called for deeper and more practical cooperation with their Chinese counterparts as digital platforms and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to transform the way news is produced, distributed and consumed.

The call was made during the 7th China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum in Beijing, where African journalists stressed the need for stronger professional exchanges, knowledge sharing and collaborative storytelling between media organisations across the two regions.

Participants said closer media cooperation would help African and Chinese journalists develop a better understanding of each other’s societies while providing newsrooms with opportunities to adapt to rapid technological changes.

They noted that the rise of artificial intelligence and digital media platforms has created new possibilities for news production and distribution, particularly for African media organisations seeking to expand their reach and improve the way they tell stories about the continent.

Nigerian journalist Michael Onjewu said the strategic importance of media cooperation lies in its ability to provide audiences with accurate and balanced information about China-Africa relations.

According to him, effective media engagement can help counter misinformation and stereotypes that often arise when countries and peoples lack adequate understanding of one another.

“The role of media is strategic in the sense that without proper media, there are negative stereotypes about countries. But with proper media cooperation, we can begin to tell the true stories about China-Africa relationship,” Onjewu said.

He stressed that stronger collaboration between African and Chinese media professionals would create opportunities for journalists to gain firsthand knowledge of developments in both regions and report them with greater context.

The forum also highlighted the changing media landscape, with digital platforms, social media and AI increasingly influencing how journalists gather information, produce content and engage audiences.

African media professionals said the emerging technologies should not only be viewed as disruptive forces but also as tools that could strengthen newsroom capacity, improve storytelling and enable African media organisations to reach wider international audiences.

They called for practical programmes that would promote journalist exchanges, professional training, technological cooperation and joint reporting initiatives between African and Chinese media institutions.

Participants also emphasised the importance of people-to-people communication, arguing that stronger media ties could contribute to a more accurate and nuanced understanding of China-Africa relations.

The 7th China-Africa Media Cooperation Forum therefore provided a platform for journalists and media stakeholders to examine how cooperation can evolve in response to the rapidly changing global information environment.

The discussions underscored the growing need for media organisations on both sides to embrace technology while strengthening professional collaboration aimed at producing credible, balanced and context-driven stories about China and Africa.