Investigative journalism is dying, according to press professionals. The topic was the main subject of the 46^th meeting of the Francophone press held in Guinea. 

“We have come to an era where information is free and most people have forgotten the importance of journalism,” says Romaine Jean, chief editor of the TV magazine at Radiotélévision Suisse (RTS). “Investigation promotes transparency, the journalist’s responsibility to cross-check information. That is what journalism is,” added Guinea’s President, Alpha Condé.   

Yet, the facts are clear. The gradual disinterest in investigation leads journalists and media, which are more concerned about profits made from ads, to the pauperization of the press, worldwide. A clear example to illustrate the situation is the growing phenomenon of “fake news”.   

Hence, last November 25, at the end of the five days that the meeting of the Francophone press lasted, many solutions were suggested to revive investigation journalism. According to Julia Cagé, professor of economy, “a non-lucrative media society must be established. Its model should be somewhere between that of a foundation and a corporation. Under this model, small donors, be they journalists, salaried employees or readers, should regroup to invest in media, similarly to what is done with crowdfunding”. 

However, no matter the solution adopted, to truly save investigation journalism, freedom of press must be guaranteed. This will be quite challenging, in Africa especially, knowing that this barrier is quite a heavy one to lift on the continent. Take for example Somalia, which in 2017, was for the third consecutive year, the world’s worst country for unsolved murders of journalists, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. 

Servan Ahougnon