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- MediaMorph Edition 45 - by HANA News
MediaMorph Edition 45 - by HANA News
Why AI summaries may be good for journalism
Mark Riley
April 01, 2025
MediaMorph Edition 45 - by HANA News
Why AI summaries may be good for journalism
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The written-by-a-human bit
This week, two of our curated articles make a refreshingly optimistic argument that a new era of AI-generated summaries may change the media landscape for the better. Pete Pachal in Fastcompany suggests that to be cited in summaries would be a “great motivation for journalists to produce scoops, original quotes, and analysis you can’t get anywhere else”. Meanwhile, Fiona Jackson in eWeek argues that AI summaries “could paradoxically foster a return to quality journalism as the new ecosystem favors results that break news, deliver exclusives, or offer unique insights that incentivise substance over sensationalism”.
In other words, there is a new paradigm where publishers can free themselves from the broken model that incentivises traffic at all costs (think cat videos) and finally produce content rewarded by hyper-intelligent LLMs that act as gatekeepers for genuinely brilliant and original copy.
This may sound far-fetched and will require the LLMs to be onboarded and trained to act in publishers’ best interests—maximising accuracy and eliminating bias. However, I have long argued that the addiction to trashy traffic for ad clicks has never - and never will - support high-quality journalism.
Expect to see a new cottage industry that looks to influence LLM summaries in the same way that Search Engine Optimisation sprung up around Google. As Newsguard reports, the Russians have already tried a brute-force approach to swamp Western AI systems with massive amounts of propaganda, involving over 3,600,000 articles with some success.
Clearly, safeguards are needed. But thoughtful journalism has an opportunity to shake off the tyranny of traffic metrics and find the smartest readers via highly intelligent AI summaries.
Mark Riley, CEO of Mathison AI
Hi
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AI and Media and Journalism
AI is painful for journalists but healthy for journalism As media jobs decline, the integration of AI in journalism presents both challenges and opportunities to enhance reporting quality by automating routine tasks and supporting in-depth storytelling. By prioritizing ethical standards and fostering collaboration between journalists and AI, we can preserve and celebrate the core values of accuracy, integrity, and accountability in a rapidly changing digital landscape. |
eWeek Analysis: How Will Journalism Survive AI Summaries? EWEEK - March 31, 2025 As AI and generative chatbots become more integrated into journalism, many publications prioritize human reporters for accuracy while leveraging AI for efficiency, such as transforming community announcements into articles. However, concerns about job displacement persist alongside legal battles over content use, highlighting the need for creators to embrace AI technologies to enhance visibility and audience engagement in a competitive digital landscape. |
AI and the Future of News 2025: what we learnt about how its impact on coverage, newsrooms and society Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism - Experts at the "AI and the Future of News" conference highlighted the mixed coverage of AI in journalism, emphasizing the need for critical analysis and ethical considerations as technology reshapes newsrooms. Discussions ranged from innovative AI applications to the challenges posed by Big Tech's influence on copyright and language representation, underscoring the importance of responsible AI integration in reporting. Read more at Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (15 mins) |
The PublicSource approach to AI in local journalism PublicSource - March 26, 2025 PublicSource is navigating the integration of AI in journalism by establishing clear policies that prioritize human oversight, transparency, and community engagement, while using AI tools to enhance research, accessibility, and storytelling. As the organization embraces emerging technologies, it invites donations to support quality, paywall-free journalism that keeps Allegheny County informed. |
What happened when a newspaper let AI take over Italy's Il Foglio newspaper has launched Foglio AI to explore the future of journalism through artificial intelligence, but the initiative faces backlash over plagiarism and misinformation issues. Critics stress the urgent need for ethical standards and oversight to maintain journalistic integrity in an evolving media landscape. |
What the public wants from journalism in the age of AI: A four country survey Editor and Publisher - March 27, 2025 CNTI's recent survey highlights the challenges faced by the public in navigating an overwhelming news landscape, revealing a strong desire for informed engagement while grappling with information overload and the complexities introduced by artificial intelligence. The findings aim to enhance the relationship between journalism and its audience by exploring perceptions of journalism's value in today's media environment. |
Reporter exposes network of AI-generated ‘local’ newsletters Association of Health Care Journalists - March 25, 2025 An investigation by Nieman Lab's Andrew Deck revealed a network of AI-generated newsletters infiltrating 355 small U.S. towns, raising concerns about transparency and authenticity as they presented themselves as local perspectives while using duplicated content. Despite claims of community involvement, recipients often received these newsletters without signing up, prompting ethical questions about the impact of such operations on local journalism. Read more at Association of Health Care Journalists (9 mins) |
RIT researchers use AI to uncover surprising trends in media coverage of police RIT - March 28, 2025 A new study from the Rochester Institute of Technology and Carnegie Mellon University reveals that local news coverage of police has remained stable over the past decade, with little change in criticism levels despite public perception to the contrary. Using advanced AI techniques, researchers found that local journalists maintain a balanced perspective, often avoiding the partisanship seen in national media. |
AI-assisted reporting in Boston-area newsrooms raises questions about role of new technology in building a community Boston.com - March 25, 2025 Gannett-owned publications in the Boston area are adopting a generative AI tool called Espresso to help reporters draft articles from community announcements, aiming to enhance efficiency while maintaining journalistic integrity. However, concerns about transparency regarding the role of human journalists versus AI contributions have sparked discussions on the impact of AI on local news engagement and its potential to transform investigative journalism. |
Bloomberg Has a Rocky Start With AI Summaries Nytimes - An outlet's recent adoption of AI for generating news summaries has sparked concerns over accuracy, leading to multiple corrections and questions about the reliability of the information being shared. As the technology advances, the challenge of maintaining trustworthy content remains a pressing issue. |
News/Media Alliance Challenges AI Newsletter Creator “Good Daily” News/Media Alliance - March 25, 2025 The News/Media Alliance, representing over 2,200 U.S. publishers, has demanded that Good Daily cease scraping content from their members, particularly material behind paywalls, which violates publisher terms of service. Danielle Coffey, the Alliance's President and CEO, highlighted the importance of respecting copyright and advocating for responsible AI use in the media industry. |
AI and Academic Publishing
How the open science movement tackles scientific misconduct Phys - In December 2001, the Budapest Open Access Initiative launched a global movement advocating for free access to academic research. This initiative emphasizes that knowledge should be shared without barriers to enhance information dissemination and innovation. It has significantly influenced policies in the academic community, promoting transparency and accessibility in research worldwide. |
Revenue sharing model for academic publishers Research Information - April 1, 2025 Zendy has launched an innovative revenue-sharing model that compensates publishers for AI-generated content, citing their paywalled research, utilizing its domain-specific model, ZAIA. This ethical approach addresses copyright concerns and ensures transparency in monetizing academic content while fostering partnerships with notable international publishers. |
AI-assisted Academic Monograph at London Book Fair Stdaily - March 29, 2025 China has made a significant leap in academic publishing with the release of "AI for Rock Dynamics," the first AI-assisted monograph, launched at the London Book Fair on March 12, 2025. Spearheaded by Academician He Manchao and backed by 25 scholars, this groundbreaking work was produced in under four months using the Luffa AI model, highlighting the transformative potential of AI in research efficiency and knowledge dissemination. |
"AI is the future of peer review" The academic world is grappling with a peer review crisis, with millions of papers stalled in evaluation, but AI technology offers promising solutions to streamline the process and enhance feedback quality. However, the integration of AI also raises concerns about bias and transparency, prompting the scientific community to carefully balance innovation with rigor. |
Taylor & Francis to use AI translation tools to publish books ‘otherwise unavailable in English’ Taylor & Francis is set to leverage AI translation tools to broaden access to international literature, following previous partnerships that raised concerns among authors about fair compensation. Despite criticism from the Society of Authors and translators regarding the risks of AI-generated translations, T&F aims to enhance its catalog with accurate translated titles while promising remuneration for authors involved in these initiatives. |
MDPI in 2024: Research integrity, expanding global reach, and strengthening open access MDPI's 2024 Achievements Report highlights remarkable growth in open access publishing, including a tripling of its research integrity team, over 238,000 published articles, and a commitment to enhancing research integrity through updated ethics policies and global partnerships. With a focus on supporting researchers and maintaining high-quality standards, the company received overwhelmingly positive feedback from authors and reviewers alike. |
AI’s Role in Peer Review Sparks Concern Among Scientists and Publishers The integration of artificial intelligence in the scientific peer review process promises enhanced efficiency and consistency, but raises critical concerns about nuanced understanding, ethical transparency, and the diminishing role of human reviewers. As the scientific community embraces AI, it must carefully balance technological benefits with the preservation of expert evaluation and integrity in research assessment. |
Meta’s alleged use of pirated content EWEEK - March 27, 2025 Meta is facing legal challenges for allegedly using pirated content from Library Genesis to train its AI models. Authors like Sarah Silverman and Ta-Nehisi Coates are leading a lawsuit claiming intellectual property rights infringement. This controversy highlights the ongoing battle between tech companies and creators over copyright issues in the age of AI, as calls for stronger protections for authors grow amidst increasing legal scrutiny. |
Ready Tensor Launches TensorCheck: AI-Powered Tool for Improving Quality and Impact of AI Publications Wjbf - Enhance the quality of your academic papers with our AI-powered review system, which offers comprehensive feedback based on over 100 expert criteria. Streamline your revision process and boost your chances of success with tailored suggestions that align with industry best practices. |
This newsletter was partly curated and summarised by AI agents, who can make mistakes. Check all important information. For any issues or inaccuracies, please notify us here
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