Alexander Lyubimov: Trust Between Russia and Africa Begins With an Objective Image of Each Other
On October 28–29, Moscow will host the third Russia-Africa Summit and the Economic and Humanitarian Forum.
Representatives of Russia and African countries will explore opportunities to expand cooperation in economics, science, education, and technology, and discuss ways to implement joint initiatives.
On the eve of the summit, information exchange between the countries is also taking on particular importance. Alexander Lyubimov, president of VID Broadcasting Company and a Russian journalist, television host, and producer, spoke to the IT Russia media platform about how the media shape perceptions of Africa, why it is important to portray different aspects of life, and the role digital technologies play in international dialogue.
– In the 1990s, television showed starving African children with swollen bellies and their mothers standing in line for water. Today, we hardly see such stories. Why? Because the situation has changed. But there is another problem: news is structured in a way that makes us see disasters and crimes first and foremost. If a single broadcast features 15 disasters in a row, viewers will come away with the impression that everything around them is one disaster after another. Yet life is far more diverse. The art of running a media organization lies in finding the right balance.
This problem has not gone away. If anything, in the digital environment, information spreads instantly, and a single story can shape perceptions of an entire country for a long time. That is why it matters not only what we tell each other about our countries, but also which stories we choose and how we combine them to create an overall picture of the world.
Ahead of the Russia-Africa Summit, we should ask ourselves a simple question: What do we want to tell each other? The 2nd Global Digital Forum, held in Moscow, showed that technology is changing not only the economy but also the information landscape. Artificial intelligence and digital platforms offer new opportunities, but they do not guarantee objectivity or mutual understanding on their own. What matters is who creates the content, who chooses the topics, and who determines the image of a country that audiences see.
That is why cooperation between Russia and African countries needs to develop not only in technology but also in the media. We need joint projects, exchanges of experience, and professional training. Most importantly, we should not try to tell each other only the stories that are convenient. Trust emerges when we are willing to see life in all its diversity rather than judge a country by a handful of high-profile stories.
