by Douglas Imaralu

“Come gather around people

Wherever you roam

And admit that the waters

Around you have grown

And accept it that soon

You’ll be drenched to the bone

And if your breath to you is worth saving

Then you better start swimming or you’ll sink like a stone

For the times they are a-changing.”

 

How well does the opening verse of Bob Dylan’s 1964 classic, The Times They Are A-Changin’, depict the world today?

It is safe to say 2016 was a year of political upsets and landmarks. From media to politics, climate change, immigration, and even the Nobel Prize, predictions failed and a new political rhetoric crystallised, delivering what may shape the narrative in the next decade, and even beyond.

Besides unprecedented public scrutiny, media and politics definitely witnessed seismic shifts last year. For this reason, and its implications, the media arguably faces its toughest task in recent years. “Only one in five Americans have confidence in the media to fairly report the news, the lowest level since Gallup first measured it four decades ago,” says Columbia J-School Knight-Bagehot Fellow Stephen Kurczy, in his article A New Paranoid Style in American Politics. And considering the trend of nationalistic ideologies, following Brexit and the emergence of U.S. President Donald Trump, the growing popularity of Marine Le Pen in France, and Geert Wilders in the Netherlands, it is safe to say we stand at the brink of a new paradigm.

So how should the media report this paradigm shift, despite its mostly liberal view? And how does society make sure it listens to the voice of “we the people”? I believe these are media policy questions that require a balanced response to avoid the backlash of public disapproval, social polarisation, or being branded “fake news.”

As a journalist and trisector professional (someone who can engage and collaborate across the private, public, and social sectors), I desire better policies aimed at using media and politics for social shaping. I’ve worked with public, private, and nonprofit organisations, leveraging resources from each sector for growth and development, and I understand the role of media in the propagating policies and programmes. But I desire more, especially when wicked problems like immigration, racial issues, religion, terrorism, and social media among others play pertinent roles in this new era. However, it seems plus ça change, plus c’est la même chose.

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Op–ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija

Douglas Imaralu is a media, policy, and international development professional and Lead Consultant at clairVOYANCE Intelligence. He writes from New York. He tweets @jefumare