This evolution has delivered undeniable gains. Yet alongside them lies a darker side one that increasingly shapes how information is produced, consumed and trusted.
Progress often arrives quietly but its consequences rarely do. Over the past decade, media has transformed at a pace few industries can match. Digital platforms have expanded access to information, lowered barriers to entry, and amplified voices once excluded from public discourse.
In Tanzania and across the region, audiences today consume news instantly, across multiple platforms and often free of charge.
This evolution has delivered undeniable gains. Yet alongside them lies a darker side one that increasingly shapes how information is produced, consumed and trusted.
At the heart of this dark side is a growing crisis of credibility. According to the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer, trust in media globally stands at 50 percent, with many respondents saying they struggle to distinguish between credible journalism and misinformation. Speed now dominates editorial decision-making.
Being first often matters more than being right. In the rush to publish, verification weakens, nuance disappears and complex issues are reduced to clickable headlines. Corrections, when they come, rarely travel as far as the original error.
Digital algorithms have intensified the problem. Research by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism shows that emotionally charged content, particularly anger and fear, travels significantly faster online than factual reporting. Social media platforms reward engagement, not accuracy.
Stories that divide perform better than those that explain. As a result, editorial judgment is increasingly shaped by analytics dashboards rather than public interest. What trends replaces what matters.
Commercial pressure further complicates this environment. The global advertising market has shifted dramatically, with over 70 percent of digital advertising revenue now controlled by just two companies – Google and Meta – according to industry estimates.
This has squeezed traditional media revenues, forcing newsrooms to rely more heavily on sponsored content, partnerships and branded storytelling.
While these models are necessary for survival, without clear ethical boundaries they blur the line between journalism and marketing. When audiences cannot tell reporting from promotion, credibility erodes.
Inside newsrooms, the strain is equally visible. A World Economic Forum report notes that journalism is among the professions experiencing high burnout due to workload intensity, job insecurity and constant digital pressure. Journalists today are expected to produce more content, across more platforms, in less time often with fewer resources.
Investigative journalism, which is costly and time-intensive, is frequently sidelined in favour of high-volume, low-cost content. The watchdog role of the media weakens not through censorship, but through exhaustion.
Social media has added a personal cost. According to a UNESCO global study, nearly 73 percent of women journalists have experienced online violence, harassment, or intimidation. This is not limited to women, but they are disproportionately affected.
Another emerging concern is the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence in content creation. The World Economic Forum estimates that AI-generated content will account for a significant share of online material within the next five years.
While AI tools can improve efficiency by automating transcription, translation and data analysis, they also enable deepfakes, synthetic news and automated misinformation at scale. Without strong editorial governance, AI risks accelerating the very trust crisis media is already facing.
Perhaps the most dangerous consequence of this dark side is audience disengagement. The Reuters Institute reports that nearly 40 percent of global news consumers actively avoid news, citing fatigue, negativity and lack of trust.
When people disengage, misinformation fills the vacuum. A society that no longer believes in credible information becomes vulnerable to manipulation, polarisation and poor decision-making. Democracy, development and accountability all depend on an informed public.
Yet acknowledging the dark side is not an admission of failure; it is a call to responsibility. Media institutions must recommit to credibility as their most valuable asset. Editorial independence must be protected even under commercial pressure.
Media leaders must invest in skills, ethics and sustainable business models, not just short-term reach. Platforms must be held accountable for the ecosystems they shape. And audiences, too, must recognise that quality journalism has value and cost.
The dark side of media exists but it is not inevitable. The same tools that distort truth can also strengthen it. The same platforms that amplify misinformation can elevate credible voices.
The future of media will not be decided by technology alone, but by the choices made by editors, journalists, business leaders and audiences alike.
In confronting its shadows, media has an opportunity to rebuild trust, reclaim purpose, and reaffirm its role as a public good. Silence would be easier but responsibility demands otherwise.
Angel Navuri is Head of Advertising, Partnerships and Events at Mwananchi Communications Limited
