WINDHOEK, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Global South media must unite to dismantle persistent stereotypes and adopt artificial intelligence (AI) wisely, a senior Namibian news executive has said ahead of the World Media Summit in Beijing, China.
In an interview with Xinhua recently, Confidence Musariri, Acting Manager for Editorial and Operations at the Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), said his agency is already using AI to cut production costs, speed up delivery and widen its audience, and that Global South news agencies should share content directly with one another rather than relying on Western gatekeepers.
Musariri addressed the need for Global South media to come together to challenge and dismantle enduring stereotypes while also exploring the practical application of artificial intelligence in newsrooms.
Specifically focusing on the stereotypes surrounding Africa, Musariri highlighted how Namibia, like many other African countries, is often subject to these generalized views.
He noted that most African countries are put under the blanket as "one Africa" rather than recognized as individual sovereign nations; hence, he said this is where the issue of war, of poverty, of corruption, all these stereotypes come out from.
He said such stereotypes hurt investment and the image of a country, and that the media must evolve and embrace social media to counter that.
"I believe we must adopt the usage of social media where every content creator tells the story the way they see it. It is outside the boundaries of conventional media now. I think social media is playing a bigger role in demystifying the stereotypes and false narratives," he said.
Musariri called on the Global South to unite and embrace the emerging momentum generated by social media.
According to NAMPA, media organizations have failed to fully utilize existing political agreements and distribution channels, continuing to rely on Western news agencies to verify and gatekeep content.
"There is a need for us now to also boost the cooperative news exchange agencies. There has to be exchanges within the agencies within the Global South for us to share the content directly with one another," he noted.
Musariri said NAMPA is integrating AI and its applications to cut costs, speed up delivery of content, and expand its audience reach.
He expects to secure hands-on skills exchange that goes beyond traditional reporting training, focusing instead on educating journalists to effectively adopt and adapt to rapidly evolving AI tools in the newsroom.
The goal is to leverage the World Media Summit to learn how newsrooms can integrate and automate data processes and digital convergence, ensuring AI analytics are deployed effectively to maximize results, Musariri noted.
"We are looking forward to striking cooperation deals, cooperation agreements with different media stakeholders at the media summit, and learning also how they are adopting the new forms of media," he said.
As Namibia formulates its national AI policy, he added, newsrooms need forward-looking technology rather than outdated tools, expressing hope that the summit will help identify next-generation AI solutions designed to support journalists over the next three to five years.
Musariri, who has travelled four times to China in a professional and personal capacity, meanwhile, said the upcoming summit carries special significance because he covered the 2008 Olympic Games as a journalist.
"It's interesting that this summit is taking place in the very same district where I stayed while covering the Olympics in 2008. That's almost 18 years ago. So, I'm basically going to a place where things have changed," he noted.
Musariri said that NAMPA will use its Global South network and partner entities to report on the summit, ensuring that media colleagues across Namibia and the broader continent have direct access to its key outcomes.
The 7th World Media Summit, hosted by Xinhua News Agency under the theme "Media's Mission and Cooperative Action amid Intelligent Transformation," will be held in Beijing from Nov. 5 to Nov. 9, 2026. ■
