A note from the editor: This is either brave or stupid
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Good morning and welcome to The Debrief Network. It is April 2025, and we are on a mission to fix the news.
With that formality out of the way, let me tell you what I’ve been up to. March was a particularly interesting month. I spent the first week in Syria, on a trip that was both life-changing and self-illuminating. In reflecting on the awful tragedy that is Syria post-war, it made me think long and hard about the type of story telling I want to do.
It’s now been two months since we began The Debrief Network, and it’s been a journey filled with mistakes, lessons, and moments of joy. For me, this platform is an act of rebellion against the constant barrage of attacks against journalism. Journalism is vital to democracy and we know what a moment of reckoning democracy is having globally. This is my bit to ensure journalism stays alive and healthy.
Let me share a bit about myself. I’ve spent the last 14 years in journalism, doing everything and anything I could. The gift of my career is that I’ve had the chance to try it all. I’ve written for international platforms, won awards for front-page exclusive scoops, reported on radio, and stood behind a camera. Last year, I even ventured into TikTok journalism—though that’s a conversation for another time.
So, what are we doing here? Well, these past two months have been about building—making mistakes and celebrating the small victories along the way. I’m fortunate to have the opportunity to contribute to various platforms, from my weekly column on News24 to my reportage for Newzroom Afrika, and my features on Al Jazeera. Alongside these, I also indulge in a personal hobby (don’t tell my publisher!)—writing books, doing research work, and advocating for mental health. Yet, in the midst of all of this, I’ve felt something was missing.
There’s a phrase that keeps echoing in my mind: “The old is dying, and the new is refusing to be born.” With my cross-section of experience in journalism at different levels, I know change is inevitable. But if you read the Reuters report on the state of journalism, you’ll notice this shift, and yet no one seems to know where it’s heading.
One year, audio content is the rage. The next year, horizontal video takes center stage. Now it’s all about vertical video with no sound. And, of course, newsletters are all the rage.
Experimenting to find the future of storytelling is risky. It’s like telling a cancer patient, exhausted from chemotherapy, to try an experimental drug when what they really need is a plate of food to survive another day.
I’m not suggesting journalism is on life support. There are plenty of journalists doing incredible work. But I’m concerned that if we don’t reinvent journalism, it will be left for the tech giants and podcast bros to feast on.
I’m conservative in my thinking: journalism doesn’t need to be reinvented. The ethics and principles that have guided journalism will stand the test of time. What must change is the way we consume, distribute, and efficiently deliver the news.
Those who claim to have the perfect blueprint for the future of journalism and charge exorbitant fees to thrill media owners at global conferences—well, they’re charlatans.
News influencers are a thing. I consume their content more than I do traditional journalism. They’re engaging, they’re thrilling. But let’s be clear: they don’t do journalism. They simply rehash what they see from traditional outlets and offer opinions. I don’t disrespect what they do, but I worry about who’s actually doing the journalism. Because it’s unsustainable to send an entire production crew to a press conference at the Union Buildings just to report on a few soundbites.
AI has disrupted everything.
The Debrief Network was created out of a selfish desire:
To pioneer the future of journalism. It’s a learning platform.
To teach the next generation of journalists.
To build a platform that house the type of storytelling I dream of doing.
For this to succeed, it can’t be about me. It must be about assembling a team, a collective of voices, ideas, and talents. It must be about going where no one cares to look. It has to be about making sense of the world not adding to the noise.
To quote a veteran journalist, “It’s either brave or stupid to launch any journalism platform in 2025.” I suspect he was being kind. Because, frankly, it’s probably stupid.
The disruption caused by generative AI in journalism is profound. We’re barely able to catch our breath from the onslaught of greedy big tech. Gone are the days of people flocking to websites for their news. News websites are not the future. Don’t let a newspaper editor tell you there’s still hope left in print. They are delusional.
So, what am I doing here? I’m either being brave or stupid. Time will tell.
I’m not here to write the obituary for traditional journalism. I’m here to help contribute to its thriving future. The road ahead is hard and difficult. But I’m ready to take the risk and share what I learn along the way. I’m committed to endless learning, to mentoring, and above all, to trying new things. I will gather the best skills available to make this vision a reality.
We will focus on video, curate the best newsletters and use the best AI offerings to augment our journalism. It is about simplifying the world. My team is sick of me saying this but we must focus on the three C’s: Context, clarity and concise.
If we succeed, we will be laying the groundwork for the future of journalism. If we fail, well, at least I can teach others what not to do. Either way, journalism wins.
But here’s the big “but”: great journalism needs an audience. In an age where attention is the greatest currency, building a loyal, committed audience is harder than constructing a skyscraper. So as I embark on this ‘courageous madness’, I ask you to join me. Recommend The Debrief Network to everyone you meet, subscribe if you haven’t already, and share the word.
I’m ready for this journey. Scared, but ready.I hope you find it valuable, and I hope that, together, we can make a positive difference in journalism and in the world.
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"You cannot carry out fundamental change without a certain amount of madness" - Thomas Sankara