Tomorrow, May 3rd, the world once again pauses to commemorate World Press Freedom Day. We do so under the banner: “Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media.”
This is not just a theme, it is a warning, a prompt, and a plea to critically assess how artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the media landscape, particularly in a small but complex democracy like ours in Lesotho.
In this brave new world, the relationship between technology and press freedom is double-edged. While AI offers opportunities for innovation, efficiency, and reach, it also poses existential threats to editorial independence, factual reporting, and the public’s right to credible information.
Lesotho cannot afford to be a passive observer in this transformation. We must proactively chart our own course, leverage AI’s potential while vigilantly guarding our hard-won press freedoms.
In Lesotho, journalists operate in an already difficult environment, characterised by resource scarcity, political interference, and increasing public distrust.
Newsrooms across the country are understaffed and underfunded. Many journalists juggle multiple roles to keep news flowing. In such conditions, the allure of AI tools that promise speed, scale, and automation is understandable.
Already, some media houses are experimenting with AI-generated content. Social media influencers, some powered by AI tools like Chatgpt, are now viewed as credible news sources by large segments of the public. The question is not whether AI will reshape the media in Lesotho, but whether we will remain in control of that process or become its casualties.
In a recent example, an AI-generated video of the United States President Donald Trump saying he is coming to Lesotho went viral on WhatsApp and Facebook. Within hours, debates in WhatsApp groups were ablaze. The video was fake. This incident highlighted how easy it has become to spread disinformation at scale, and how difficult it is for our traditional media, with limited resources, to fact-check in real time.
AI does not just accelerate the spread of disinformation, it can manufacture it. Deepfakes, synthetic voices, and algorithmically generated stories are now tools in the arsenal of political operatives, scammers, and information manipulators.
In a country like Lesotho, where political divisions run deep and public trust is fragile, the unchecked spread of such content could easily spark social unrest.
We saw a glimpse of this danger this week when a fabricated interview between Prime Minister Sam Matekane and respected media personality, Rapitso Rapitso circulated on social media.As AI tools become more sophisticated and accessible, these threats will only intensify.
We must ask ourselves: who verifies the truth in a world where lies can be mass-produced by machines in seconds?
Let us not forget that press freedom is also about equity, the ability of all journalists, regardless of geography or economic background, to participate fully and fairly in the media landscape.
Lesotho’s rural journalists working for community radio stations in Qacha’s Nek, Thaba Tseka, and Quthing, among others, who form the backbone of community media, risk being left behind. Most do not have access to fast internet, let alone AI tools. If access to technology becomes the new gatekeeper, then only the elite will be able to practice journalism effectively in this new era.
Moreover, many media houses in Lesotho are family-run or grassroots-driven, often without the digital infrastructure or capital to invest in emerging technologies. Without deliberate support from government, donors, and tech companies, these voices will be sidelined, leading to a more centralized and less representative media system.
To respond to this challenge, we must not reject AI, but humanise it. We must shape its integration into our media systems in ways that uphold journalistic ethics, accuracy, public accountability, and pluralism.
It is deeply concerning that to date, MISA Lesotho, the Lesotho Communications Authority (LCA), and the country’s two dominant mobile network operators, Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) and Vodacom Lesotho (VCL), have not yet come together to collaboratively chart a national response to artificial intelligence.
These institutions hold the keys to our digital future. Their silence and fragmentation in the face of this technological revolution risk allowing foreign algorithms, unchecked platforms, and profit-driven systems to dictate the terms of our information environment. Lesotho cannot afford a reactive posture.
We urgently need a unified, strategic, and inclusive platform where journalists, regulators, telecom companies, civil society, and academia can engage meaningfully on how AI should be governed and integrated in our media and communication systems. The cost of inaction is too high, it is our democracy, our credibility, and our sovereignty that are at stake.
MISA Lesotho calls for:
- A National AI and Media Taskforce that brings together journalists, tech experts, regulators, and civil society to develop local ethical guidelines for AI use in media.
- Training and Capacity Building for journalists, especially in rural areas, to understand and responsibly use AI tools, while also learning how to detect and report on AI-generated disinformation.
- Investment in Local Fact-Checking Initiatives, including AI-supported verification platforms tailored to Lesotho’s languages and media needs.
- Legal Protections to ensure that AI is not used for surveillance of journalists or censorship of content. The right to freedom of expression must be upheld, whether the threats are human or machine-made.
- Media Literacy Campaigns to equip the public with the skills to critically assess the content they consume, especially online.
AI may write headlines, synthesise data, and even mimic voices, but it cannot replace the courage, curiosity, and conscience that define good journalism. It cannot sit in a local court in Mokhotlong for hours to hear a dispute. It cannot question a minister during a press conference. It cannot feel the pulse of the factory workers in Maputsoe or Ha Thetsane.
As we face this brave new world, we must remember that freedom of the press is not just about tools or technologies. It is about truth. It is about trust. It is about people, journalists and citizens, working together to hold power accountable and keep democracy alive.
On this World Press Freedom Day, MISA Lesotho renews its commitment to defending these values. Let us ensure that in the age of artificial intelligence, human intelligence still prevails, with wisdom, integrity, and a deep respect for the truth.
Happy World Press Freedom Day, Lesotho.
Lesotho activist and journalist who is the Chairperson of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA) Lesotho. He is an International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) alumnus.
Boloetse is driven by the need to protect and promote the rights of others, especially the marginalized segment of society. He rose to prominence as an activist in 2018 when he wrote to Lesotho communications Authority (LCA) asking it to order Econet Telecom Lesotho (ETL) and Vodacom Lesotho (VCL) to stop charging expensive out-of-bundle rates for data when customers’ data bundles get depleted.
