Young journalists are navigating the journalism industry in a digital era where AI and social media have taken over.
“Now more than ever, the next generation of journalists are needed,” said Alyssa Salcedo, leading a conversation among panelists Cristina Chi, a reporter for http://Philstar.com, Billi Fritzsimons, Editor-in-Chief of The Daily AUS, and Xiner Irene Hu, an undergrad at City University of Hong Kong. All took the stage to talk about how they navigate AI and balance between truth and engagement.
Hu during the panel talked about her key results she found from her online survey featuring Chinese students (from different universities around Hong Kong and mainland China) with their responses to AI-generated videos in news reporting.
According to Hu, over two-thirds of the 50 respondents said an AI-generated animated video report detracted from the credibility of news about Ukraine’s use of U.S. cluster bombs. The research was conducted for the East-West Center’s International Media Conference panel.
However, not all the panelists agreed with this response to AI in news reporting. Chi said that though AI can be seen to give off a false reality, it can also help with the younger audience, especially children. “I see the other side as AI can create graphics that please the younger audience,” Chi said. “ It brings a type of delivery that is unique and enjoyable as often children don’t watch news, nor do they find interest.”
Fritzsimons says the Daily AUX, an Australian social media based news outlet, navigates their younger audience members by reaching youth through the use of social media while still making sure that information isn’t falsified by AI.
“Our job is to make sure that what youth see is factual and to be able to fact check the misinformation that they are seeing and we tackle that by having a full time fact checkup,” Fritzsimons said.
Salcedo raised concerns about AI-generated graphics potentially harming local artists by using their work without credit.
“I think with generative AI and art is kind of concerning to me that these artist whose art is traded. Generative AI and its impact on art concern me. We need to consider the ethical implications of using artists’ work in this way, as some artists may not want their creations repurposed by AI,” Salcedo said.
She also highlighted journalists’ responsibilities to reporting the truth and staying true to their cultural identity, particularly regarding indigenous peoples.
“As one of the journalists from the free press panel said, as much as they’re a journalist, they’re Filipino as well, and I think that can be said for all these journalists,” she said. “They’ve risked their lives, they’ve risked their reputation, their careers just to get them the news we all deserve to know.”
