Information, Publicity, and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr. Jenfan Muswere, emphasized the urgent need for the print media industry to evolve in response to technological advancements and artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the 11th Annual International Conference on Communication and Information Science at NUST, Dr. Muswere highlighted the alarming decline of traditional print media, with daily newspaper sales plummeting from over 100,000 to less than 10,000.
According to Zimpapers, he noted the significant shift towards social media platforms for advertising and marketing, which has far-reaching implications for international trade.
To mitigate this, Dr. Muswere called for the development of homegrown social media platforms to protect national and African sovereignty.
The minister’s warning serves as a wake-up call for the print media industry to innovate and adapt to the digital landscape or risk becoming obsolete.
“The phone, artificial intelligence, broadband and information science have completely transformed the way we live, handle transactions, and make decisions as countries and individuals.
“There is a total shift in marketing from the old print and broadcasting media to social media platforms, which now control and dominate advertising and marketing.
“Social media now dominates international trade and marketing, so it is very important for researchers and academics to work together to achieve data sovereignty,” said Dr Muswere.
