Prof Nancy Booker, an associate professor and the dean of the Graduate School of Media and Communications at Aga Khan University (AKU) in Nairobi, stressed the importance of collaboration between academia, industry and innovators to navigate the complexities facing modern journalism. Speaking during the World Association of News Publishers (WAN-IFRA) Digital Media Africa Conference 2024 at AKU in Nairobi, she said, “New technologies, new ways of storytelling, new approaches and an evolving audience are pushing us to rethink not just how we tell our stories but also how we sustain journalism and engage with other communities in meaningful ways.” The meeting attracted over 200 editors and heads of African and foreign media organisations. The university's provost, Dr Tania Bubela, underscored the media's critical role in democracy, particularly in foresting trust and uniting communities. "We cannot have functioning democracies without a free press, without a free media, and without the voices that matter being heard," she said.