NAIROBI, Kenya – The BBC World Service will this week host its Future of Journalism Festival in Nairobi, bringing together journalists, media executives, students and digital content creators to explore the opportunities and challenges shaping the future of news.
The free two-day event, scheduled for Thursday and Friday, will be hosted by BBC World Service presenter Myra Anubi and comes at a time when artificial intelligence (AI), social media and the rapid spread of misinformation are transforming how news is produced, distributed and consumed.
The festival will feature panel discussions, practical workshops and a live recording of the BBC programme People Fixing the World, with organisers aiming to equip participants with the skills needed to navigate an increasingly complex information landscape while strengthening public trust in journalism.
Speaking on Capital FM’s The Fuse ahead of the event, Anubi said one of the festival’s central themes will be solutions journalism, a reporting approach that focuses on how communities and institutions respond to societal challenges rather than simply highlighting problems.
As host of People Fixing the World, she said the approach examines how solutions work, evaluates evidence of their impact and openly discusses their limitations.
According to Anubi, solutions journalism is guided by four key principles: defining the problem, explaining how a response works, assessing evidence of its effectiveness and acknowledging areas where it falls short.
She also addressed growing concerns about artificial intelligence and its impact on the credibility of information, arguing that journalism has continually evolved in response to technological disruption.
“Journalism has existed for 2,000 years and it’s always been under threat, and it’s always changed and there’s always been new stuff that’s come up,” she said.
“It survived 2,000 plus years; it will still survive. I think what is happening right now is it’s evolving, and we need to get ahead of that.”
Anubi urged the public to play a greater role in combating misinformation by verifying information before sharing it and relying on trusted news organisations for confirmation.
“It’s good to actually confirm something with a source that is trusted, more trusted, you know, check with Capital, check with the BBC, check with organizations that have been doing this for a long time that are actually doing news that is credible,” she said.
“Make sure if you see something, you actually have the power to make sure you don’t share it. Before you share something, just fact check it.”
She defended the role of professional journalists amid growing scepticism towards mainstream media, saying journalism remains anchored in ethical standards, editorial processes and accountability that distinguish it from unverified online content.
“Our role is to be the gatekeepers. We need to inform, educate and do all that stuff,” she said.
“As long as we know who we are, people are allowed to have their opinions, but that shouldn’t change our integrity or our values. It’s about trusting the process and recognising the value of the work journalists do, especially in environments that can be difficult.”
For aspiring journalists and digital creators concerned about shrinking employment opportunities and the rise of AI, Anubi encouraged them to build their own platforms instead of waiting for opportunities.
“You really have to back yourself,” she said.
“Don’t wait for a space, create it. We are really lucky today that we have social media, so start your own podcast, write your own articles or create content wherever you can begin. Don’t wait for someone to open the door; knock it down.”
Before joining the BBC in the United Kingdom in 2020, Anubi founded Ask Mama in 2019, a social enterprise that provides mothers and young women in western Kenya with reliable maternal healthcare information.
The festival will conclude with a live recording of People Fixing the World, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes experience of how an international podcast is produced.
