Looking Back:

I left our class this week with a lot more questions than answers. Specifically, the insights surrounding news avoidance had me wondering what responsibility we have as journalists to adapt to our audiences’ needs and wants. We’re seeing how the news is increasingly becoming perceived negatively, with consumers pointing to the sheer amount of news coming at them every day, and the complex and broad topic areas that make it hard for individuals to understand and connect to the news. All of these aspects of the production of news contribute to the news fatigue that keeps half of Americans not wanting to pay for the news they consume. Without that support, news organizations are then turning to new ownership or sensationalized stories to bring in more funds and clicks — but is that really the best way to run news organizations? Is that helping in the long term? How will journalism suffer from this structure and how can we make it better?

Latest News/Research:

The answer to the previous questions is not an easy one by any means, but for some, AI might help. While the concept of AI may be exciting or terrifying, it’s hard to deny its existence and future in our industry. In API’s Wednesday newsletter, the Reuters Institute AI research is summarized and discussed through the lens of its use as a tool, how audiences perceive its use and how it may change newsroom structures. Oh, and I also found out my AI-dentity is “the Pro-Human Idealist”. Sounds about right. Plus, if we thought it was hard to adapt to a changing news environment and economic, we also have to worry about an administration that is attempting to skew coverage through a new press policy at the Pentagon. And it looks like our mutual connection, Tom Bowman, is one of the many journalists who are refusing to give in, but subsequently losing their ability to cover an important section of the federal government.

So now, how will the American people find out what is being done at the Pentagon in their name, with their hard-earned tax dollars, and more importantly, the decisions that may put their sons and daughters in harm’s way?

_{– Bowman, “Opinion: Why I’m handing in my Pentagon press pass”}

But, I suppose it’s not all bad. API’s Friday newsletter highlighted the ways some journalists find their audiences’ happy places for more playful projects. But even in our weekly newsletters, the negativity of the news cycle continues with talks about minority reporters being fired and journalists being deported.

Top Takeaways:

Reuters study brought up ideas surrounding AI, like publishers deciding to put more effort into AI partnership. But they’re also looking to do the same with YouTube, which fits into conversations we’ve had in class about the resurrection of the video platform after short-video platforms like TikTok took some of the attention away. In the same vein, there was also a conversation about influencers and creators’ relationship and impact on journalism. To be truthful, I had not really considered their intersection. I’ve always felt that influencers and journalists are in separate categories, but recently there has been a shift. Influencers like Alex Cooper, the host of Call Her Daddy podcast, could very easily be considered journalists. After all, she’s interviewing someone on the record. I like (and agree with) publishers feeling that influencers and creators could be an innovative aspect of journalism, and could teach us about different ways to tell stories creatively and build communities. I’m sure there are many lessons we could learn from creators about audience engagement, incorporating humor or art into our work and just making our content that much more relatable — especially as we look towards younger audiences.