ABOUT
Journalism, institutions, technology and power.
“I work across journalism, technology policy and scholarship, with a particular interest in how digital platforms and artificial intelligence are reshaping power, public institutions and democratic life.”
01 — CURRENT WORK
Akintunde Babatunde is Executive Director of the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID), a PhD candidate in Communication Studies at the University of Iowa, and a university instructor. His doctoral research focuses on platform governance, digital sovereignty, state-platform relations and AI governance, with comparative research involving Nigeria, Brazil and the European Union.
02 — FROM PRACTICE TO RESEARCH
“My work moves between the newsroom, the institution and the university.”
My career began in journalism, fact-checking, civic technology and public accountability. Over time, digital platforms became central to journalism, political communication and civic life, leading to deeper questions about the authority exercised by technology companies and governments. These experiences now shape my research on platform governance, digital sovereignty and AI.
03 — CAREER TRAJECTORY
Journalism & Research
Fact-checking & Civic Technology
Media Institution-Building
Regional Journalism Leadership
Technology & Platform Governance
Doctoral Research & University Teaching
04 — SELECTED FELLOWSHIPS & PROGRAMMES
Chevening Scholar · Mandela Washington Fellow · Oxford AI & Media Policy Summer Institute · Poynter Media Transformation Fellow · CUNY AI Journalism Leaders Lab
Akintunde Babatunde
hello@akintundebabatunde.com
