This week a smattering of AI builders, college students and journalists gathered within the bowels of the College of Know-how Sydney for an often heated panel about how Australian newsrooms have been taking over using generative AI. The college’s Centre for Media Transition launched its “Gen AI and Journalism” report, the analysis for which included interviews with Guardian Australia editor Lenore Taylor and The Sydney Morning Herald editor Bevan Shields. Launching the report was ABC’s director of reports and investigations Justin Stevens on the panel alongside Each day Mail govt editor Barclay Crawford.
Stevens instructed these gathered the business was “utterly ill-prepared” for the threats that AI poses to newsrooms. He did, nevertheless, see it as a possibility for human journalism to “stand out”.
“You possibly can’t ship a chatbot right into a struggle zone,” he stated.
Crawford railed towards the affect AI might have on our democracy. AI is created by the “elites”, he stated, who “have very completely different views to the remainder of us”. Google Search is skewed in favour of left-wingers, Crawford claimed, pointing to Guardian Australia’s search engine optimisation success as proof of this.
The panel bought fiery when Stevens proselytised over whether or not AI can be used ethically, or “in a cynical approach” for what he termed “junk journalism” — “chasing views over belief”. This drew Crawford’s ire, who stated media firms “want eyeballs”.
“Sadly, numerous stuff individuals learn isn’t nice investigative journalism,” the Each day Mail boss argued.
A second of pause took maintain of the room earlier than Stevens shot again: “I don’t reckon it’s a alternative between revenue and belief.”
Media Briefs makes no touch upon why Crawford could have been notably incensed by a common reference to “junk journalism”.
Requested about media literacy requirements dropping amongst younger individuals, Stevens took a uncommon stab at public coverage, suggesting that there could also be room in colleges and curriculums across the nation for extra media literacy training.
Information Corp set for pale, stale Olympics
Information Corp this week introduced its 45-strong staff that can journey to Paris to cowl the 2024 Summer time Olympics — a dream gig for many. In an inside memo seen by Crikey, govt editor Michael Miller expressed his delight on the youth of the staff heading over to France, however these quotes have been excluded from the corporate’s press launch.
Maybe that’s as a result of the staff appears to be made up of principally senior employees. Not many Information Corp journalists beneath the age of 30 are headed to the continent, with the obvious exception of audio producer Tabby Wilson. Regardless of the Olympics being a celebration of range, issues are a bit skinny on the bottom in Holt St’s delegation, with Jawoyn girl Hannah Hollis one of many solely reporters of color on the staff, in addition to one of many solely girls, with males making up 73% of the contingent.
Fortunately for Information Corp readers nevertheless, they are going to get Olympic protection from the likes of The Courier-Mail’s state political editor Hayden Johnson, Vogue govt editor Jessica Montague, and gossip columnist Jackie Epstein.
Former Newcastle Knights five-eighth Matty Johns can even function, though very similar to how your correspondent usually will get Matty blended up along with his extra profitable brother Andrew, Information Corp could also be confused — our little provincial recreation of rugby league gained’t be performed on the Stade de France through the Olympics. Australia’s rugby sevens sides will function as a substitute, with the Wallaroos vying for a medal.
Media Briefs understands various younger and numerous journalists from across the Information Corp mastheads have expressed their displeasure at having been disregarded of the Paris delegation in favour of multinational favourites. With rights-holder 9 making ready to announce its personal staff, time will inform if the sensation is restricted to Holt St’s up-and-comers.
Information Corp didn’t reply for remark in time for publication.
Time is TikTok-ing for presidency
TikTok has been within the information once more this week, with the US Home of Representatives passing a invoice that may require Chinese language guardian firm ByteDance to promote the social media platform or see it banned in america.
The invoice, if made legislation, would give ByteDance 165 days to divest from TikTok or danger American apps shops being banned from internet hosting or linking out to it. The invoice now heads to the Senate, the place it faces a considerably much less sure future — whereas the invoice had bipartisan assist within the Home, various Republicans particularly see it as impacting First Modification rights.
Nearer to residence, opposition residence affairs spokesman James Paterson has referred to as for Australia to observe swimsuit, saying with out motion, “Australians will proceed to be uncovered to the overseas interference and privateness dangers of Chinese language-government managed TikTok”.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese this week dominated out any adjustments primarily based on the American vote, saying: “We now have made selections primarily based on our personal safety assessments. We’re unbiased; we don’t observe different international locations.”
Media Briefs contacted the minister for communications for remark, who handballed us to the minister for residence affairs. The minister for residence affairs didn’t reply in time for publication.
Strikes
- Katy Watson strikes from BBC South America to hitch the BBC in Sydney as Sydney correspondent.
- Huge World of Sports activities’ Chris de Silva strikes to the ABC, becoming a member of as a digital sport journalist in Far North Queensland.
- The Sydney Morning Herald’s Caitlin Fitzsimmons is now an atmosphere and local weather reporter, having beforehand labored as a social affairs reporter.
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