Journalists must pursue truth, not just facts, says Harvard lecturer Prof Christopher Rhodes

Speaking virtually at the opening of the State of Journalism, Media and Communication Conference 2026 (SJMCC 2026) on Wednesday, 15 July, Prof Rhodes reflected on the historic role of newspapers in Africa's independence struggle before challenging journalists to uphold truth in an era marked by democratic backsliding, misinformation and declining public trust.

Senior Lecturer in the Social Sciences at Boston University and Lecturer in the Department of Government at Harvard University, Prof Christopher Rhodes, has urged journalists to remain committed to both facts and truth, arguing that journalism's role in promoting democratic accountability extends beyond simply reporting verified information.

Prof Rhodes, however, observed that the post-independence era also demonstrated how journalism could become influenced by political interests.