Shoniyin Urges Media Reinvention for Survival-Says Digital Speed Must Serve Verified Truth

At a time when Liberia’s media industry faces shrinking revenues, ethical strain, and relentless competition from social-media misinformation, diplomat and communications strategist Elias Shoniyin delivered a sweeping call for reform during the first anniversary of The Liberian Investigator. Speaking before journalists, students, and public officials, Shoniyin argued that Liberian journalism must urgently reinvent itself to survive global disruption while preserving professional discipline. He warned that trust, not speed, is now journalism’s most valuable currency, and that economic hardship, weak editorial systems, and political pressure are eroding public confidence in the press. His remarks blended global research, Liberian data, and practical proposals aimed at building a sustainable, ethical media ecosystem nationwide.

Delivering the keynote address at the first anniversary celebration of The Liberian Investigator, communications strategist and diplomat Elias Shoniyin urged Liberian journalists to embrace digital transformation while defending professional discipline, warning that journalism worldwide is facing an existential test driven by technology, economic pressure, and collapsing trust.

Speaking at the Integrity Media Inc.–organized event, Shoniyin congratulated the newspaper on its milestone and described anniversaries as “mirrors” that force institutions to ask what they have built, protected, and improved. But he cautioned that today’s media environment is radically different from that of the past.

“Information now travels at the speed of light,” he said, “yet trust often moves like traffic on Somalia Drive in the rain.”

The Age of Viral Rumor

To illustrate the crisis, Shoniyin described a familiar Monrovia scenario in which a rumor spreads across phones and social media before journalists can verify facts. Voice notes, recycled videos, and anonymous claims travel across communities and into the diaspora while reporters struggle to confirm details.

“That is the story of our age,” he said. “Misinformation does not wait for your notebook. Disinformation does not respect your press pass.”

Traditional journalism, he argued, must become more digital—but never less disciplined. Society, he said, needs verified and accountable information more than ever.

Global Collapse of Print Economics

Citing international research, Shoniyin noted that newspaper circulation and advertising revenues have declined sharply worldwide, forcing media organizations to search for new business models. He warned that Liberia cannot expect to escape these trends.

“If the world is shaking,” he said, “we cannot pretend Liberia will be stable. We must decide how to build in the earthquake.”

Liberia’s own media consumption patterns show the urgency. Radio remains dominant, social media is rising rapidly, and newspaper readership is limited—signals that journalism must meet audiences where they are without sacrificing standards.

Press Freedom Progress and Constraints

Shoniyin acknowledged improvements in Liberia’s press-freedom ranking but stressed that challenges persist, including corruption pressures, weak rule-of-law institutions, and economic hardship for journalists.

“Journalism does not float in the air,” he said. “It operates inside laws, courts, police behavior, and economic realities.”

He warned that low pay and fragile newsroom systems create openings for unethical practices, noting that some journalists earn very little monthly, leaving them vulnerable to influence.

“When a journalist is hungry,” he said, “truth can start to look like a luxury item. But truth must be the meal.”

Ethics, Safety, and Professional Systems

Shoniyin called for stronger editorial policies, correction procedures, and conflict-of-interest rules in Liberian newsrooms. He also emphasized safety and solidarity among journalists, warning that intimidation or harassment can silence reporting and weaken democracy.

He praised ongoing training initiatives by development partners that support investigative reporting and ethical journalism, saying such programs strengthen national integrity.

Five-Point Roadmap for Sustainability

To help media organizations adapt, Shoniyin outlined practical steps: Make ethics visible through written policies and transparent standards; create rapid verification systems to counter viral misinformation; diversify revenue through membership, events, training services, and diaspora support; use technology responsibly, including AI tools for research and workflow, and strengthen professional solidarity to protect journalists.

He stressed that trust must become the media’s core brand.

“Trust does not come from being first,” he said. “Trust comes from being right.”

Lessons from Diplomacy

Drawing on his diplomatic experience, Shoniyin compared journalism’s transition to diplomacy’s shift into the digital era. Diplomacy adapted to faster communication without abandoning principles, he said, and journalism must do the same.

“The evolution is not just digital tools,” he said. “It is disciplined institutions operating ethically at digital speed.”

Why Journalism Still Matters

Shoniyin warned that social media has created an environment where rumor competes with fact. In Liberia, he joked, people graduate in every profession on Facebook each morning—without attending class.

“That is why professional journalism matters,” he said. “It is the difference between ‘people are saying’ and ‘here is the evidence.’”

He described truth as public infrastructure essential to national development, guiding elections, health decisions, investments, and peacebuilding.

A Call to Reinvent Liberian Media

Closing his address, Shoniyin urged journalists to see sustainability not as compromise but as independence, and to market truth as a public service.

“The mission is not merely to survive,” he said. “It is to reinvent a Liberian media system that can move at the speed of light but remain anchored in truth.”

He thanked Liberian journalists for enduring economic hardship, threats, and pressure while continuing to serve the public.

“May Liberia prove,” he concluded, “that even in a poor country, ethical journalism can be rich in impact.”