UNESCO - United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization

04/22/2024 | News release | Distributed by Public on 04/23/2024 03:38

Bridging the Gap: Collaboration between Digital Content Creators and Journalists in the Information Sphere

In a rapidly evolving digital world, the roles of content creators and journalists have become increasingly intertwined as they both contribute to the online information ecosystem. That's why we are honored to have you today as experts to discuss the challenges and opportunities offered by social media and learn from each other how to foster a more informed society.

Summer HarlowAssociate Director, The Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas, University of Texas

Organized by the Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas in Austin on 11 April 2024, the one-day activity brought together eight journalists and content creators from around the world including notable young voices such as Dylan Page, Hannah Ajakaiye, Hugo Travers, Manasseh Azure Awuni, Maria Paulina Baena, Salla-Rosa Leinonen and Sam Ellis.

The convergence of journalists and digital content creators in a roundtable led to a synergy of expertise and perspectives. The in-depth conversation encouraged the sharing of best practices in fact-checking, storytelling and ethical standards leading to improved credibility and trustworthiness in media content. It also served as a platform for addressing challenges, notably the spread of disinformation and hate speech on social media. Ultimately, the roundtable fostered a collaborative environment between journalists and content creators which was greatly appreciated by both parties.

During the ISOJ, a dedicated session gathered four of the roundtable participants to create awareness and interest around the blurred frontiers between content creators and journalists.

© Patricia Lim/Knight Center

The roundtable and the session are part of a wider project conducted between UNESCO and the Knight Center for Journalism to develop an online course on digital communications and freedom of expression. It aims at fostering exchange of methods and experiences between journalists and content creators, equipping them with the skills and knowledge necessary to navigate the challenges of the digital era and understanding the ethical responsibility that comes with shaping public opinion. The online course is set to be launched in October 2024.

UNESCO's endorsement of digital content creators and journalists aligns with its mission to promote freedom of expression and access to information while upholding ethical practices, human rights, and sustainable development. By recognizing their contributions and addressing their challenges, UNESCO can foster a more informed, connected and media literate society.

Participants of the roundtable

  • Dylan Page: content creator best known for his snappy and engaging content on TikTok covering current affairs and news content. He's the biggest news channels on the platform with over 10 million followers.

  • Hannah Ajakaiye: leader of FactsMatterNG, an initiative of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) that promotes information integrity by making facts go viral.

  • Hugo Décrypte : founder of Hugo Décrypte, the leading digital media for youth in France with more than 14 million people on its social networks. His mission is to make news accessible to as many people as possible.

  • Manasseh Azure Awuni: Founding editor in chief of The Fourth Estate, a non-profit, public interest and investigative journalism project of the Media Foundation for West Africa in Ghana.

  • María Paulina Baena: Colombian journalist and political scientist, co-creator and present of La Pulla, an opinion program of the newspaper El Espectador which compiles 1.35 million subscribers on YouTube.

  • Salla-Rosa Leinonen: producer and writer working for the Finnish Public Broadcaster, Yle, specializing in social media storytelling, reaching young 'hard-to-reach' audiences.

  • Sam Ellis: journalist, director, editor, and animator based in New York City. He is currently the creator and showrunner of Search Party, a new independent video journalism project on YouTube that investigates and decodes the most important news around geopolitics and global sports.