As the broadcasting industry across Africa undergoes rapid digital transformation, Mr Abdoulie Sey, Director General of Gambia Radio and Television Services, has emphasised the need for broadcasters to prepare their organisations and people for an AI-driven future.
Speaking ahead of the Broadcasters Convention – West Africa 2026, Sey stressed that AI should remain a tool that supports journalists and broadcasters rather than a replacement for professional editorial decision-making.
“The key is to remember that AI should be a tool for journalists and broadcasters, not a replacement for editorial judgment,” Sey said, highlighting trust as one of the most important assets of public-service broadcasting.
He warned that as AI-generated content becomes increasingly sophisticated, broadcasters will face growing responsibility to protect the authenticity and credibility of the information they deliver. If audiences begin to question whether content is genuine, he noted, the fundamental purpose of broadcasting is placed at risk.
Sey believes preparation for the future must begin with strengthening the foundations of broadcasting organisations. This includes digitising archives, improving connectivity and cloud infrastructure, strengthening data management, developing AI governance frameworks and investing in modern production systems.
However, technology alone will not deliver successful transformation.
“Most importantly, we need to build people, not just buy technology,” Sey said, emphasising the importance of equipping journalists, producers, engineers and managers with the skills to understand both broadcasting and emerging technologies.
For many African broadcasters, particularly public-service organisations, the transition will not be without challenges. Funding constraints, inadequate infrastructure, skills shortages, resistance to change, legacy systems and the absence of clear digital transformation strategies remain significant barriers.
The challenge is particularly acute for broadcasters managing ageing infrastructure while simultaneously being expected to adopt technologies such as artificial intelligence.
Against this backdrop, the Broadcasters Convention – West Africa 2026, taking place 22–23 September 2026 at Labadi Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, will bring together broadcasters, media executives, technology providers, regulators and industry stakeholders to examine the technologies, strategies and partnerships shaping the future of broadcasting in the region.
The convention will explore critical issues including AI and broadcasting, cloud-first operations, content innovation, automated newsrooms, video-on-demand discovery, cybersecurity, anti-piracy and the modernisation of broadcast infrastructure.
For Sey, the objective should not simply be to adopt new technologies, but to ensure innovation aligns with the responsibilities of the broadcasting industry.
“I hope participants leave with the understanding that AI is not something broadcasters can afford to ignore—but neither is it something we should embrace blindly,” he said.
“We need to be ambitious about what technology can do for our industry while remaining very clear about our responsibilities as broadcasters.”
The Broadcasters Convention – West Africa 2026 will provide a platform for the industry to confront these questions and explore practical approaches to building a more resilient, innovative and future-ready African broadcasting ecosystem.
