Dr. Ranty Islam

Dr. Ranty Islam is a Professor of Digital Journalism at Media University. He is a journalist, media trainer, and digital anthropologist with a focus on innovation in journalism, particularly the impact of so-called artificial intelligence on the production and reception of journalism. His other interests include the anthropological foundations of storytelling and how AI and algorithms influence our memory and identity.

Utopia

What if journalism didn’t just deliver information but also inspired hope?

News often gives the impression that the world is beyond saving. Yet, when we talk with family, friends, neighbors, and colleagues, we reach a different conclusion: in our immediate surroundings, many things are actually okay, perhaps even great. In fact, 9 out of 10 people in Germany report being generally satisfied with their own lives—a number that has remained stable for years.

This may seem contradictory at first glance. Climate change, wars, corruption, and other crises are real, dramatic, and seemingly insurmountable. But it is our daily experiences and encounters, the people and places that mean something to each of us, that give us strength and motivate us to act.

We need journalism that actively brings both perspectives together: that reports on global conflicts and is just as committed to everyday encounters. Journalism that connects the world's problems with concrete local solutions. That reveals intolerable conditions among the "powers above" but also highlights the opportunities each of us has.

In the end, it would provide us with both: knowledge of the world's problems and greater courage and optimism to confront them.

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