“As young journalists, you have to know what’s out there, be curious about it, and gather as much knowledge as you can,” Miranda Villei from CBS Philadelphia said.
Villei’s words of wisdom reflect the ideas expressed by panelists within the Villanova Communication Department’s fifth annual Journalism Roundtable, which was hosted in Garey Hall 10A on Feb. 12.
This year’s journalism roundtable was centered around the topic “Artificial Intelligence and its Impact on Journalism’s Future.”
A contrast to last year’s event focused on sports journalism, this year’s roundtable highlighted artificial intelligence (AI) as it has become a matter that has taken on particular relevance within the journalism space.
Moderated by Communication Department professor and advisor of The Villanovan, Michael Bradley, the discussion featured five panelists.
Each panelist, a long-time member of the industry, specialized in different aspects and mediums like print, broadcast and radio and all have experience in various parts of the journalism industry, including reporting, editing and brand management.
The panelists discussed their different experiences with using AI in the workplace as a part of their various print, radio and broadcast institutions.
They agreed on the fact that AI is beneficial for completing tedious and time-consuming grunt work, such as transcribing and enhancing audio.
However, the five professionals specified that AI should not be used in the creative processes of journalism, such as writing a script or editing a story, and that it is important to keep the creative responsibilities in the hands of humans.
The panelists emphasized the importance of being skilled in the use of AI tools, but not relying on it entirely, ensuring tasks can still be completed “the old-fashioned way, as a backup,” Luca Koppeser from KYW Newsradio said.
To illustrate the importance of maintaining a skeptical attitude towards AI in journalism, Villei shared a story detailing two news stations that aired a local story of a high school principal recorded saying racist and offensive remarks.
Villei’s station chose not to immediately run the story as it was and instead worked to confirm the story’s validity before moving forward.
Their work uncovered that the scandalous audio of the high school principal was entirely AI-generated.
Villei highlighted the need to question everything that comes across a news desk in today’s AI-dominated environment.
“It is better to be right than first,” Villei said.
Bradley then asked a question addressing whether AI can cause a general lack of trust in the news.
“Trustworthy information has become more of a commodity,” Ross Maghielse, Deputy Managing Editor at The Philadelphia Inquirer, said. “It is good for news organizations,” Maghielse said, “as it presents an opportunity for journalism to reassert value and relevance that the industry has lost.”
Bradley then posed a pressing inquiry looming over journalism today, asking the panelists if they believe AI will develop the capacity to perform the tasks people currently do.
The panelists possessed a more optimistic view of the future of the industry, believing that the trust and reliability of news reporting delivered by humans is indispensable, even as AI continues to evolve.
Johnny Archer, a longtime reporter and anchor currently working at NBC10, admits that although AI is improving and the industry is facing financial pressures, the human component of journalism and reporting is irreplaceable.
“AI can’t stand out in the snow to report on a storm,” Archer said, “nor go out and ask people questions to get a story.”
The roundtable concluded with the panelists sharing key attributes the industry seeks in aspiring journalists.
All panelists stressed some core values that journalists should still keep in their repetoire, even with the rising nature of AI across the media landscape: hard work, dedication and critical thinking skills.
“Get there early and stay late,” Tom Davis, Vice President of News for 6ABC, said. “It’s all in your hands.”
This year’s journalism roundtable presented a unique opportunity for students to gain insight from a range of professionals in the field. But even more importantly, this roundtable helped students understand where the future of journalism is heading with the rise in AI across all avenues and means of distribution.
