We conducted an online experiment to study people’s perception of automated computer-written news. Using a 2 × 2 × 2 design, we varied the article topic (sports, finance; within-subjects) and both ...the articles’ actual and declared source (human-written, computer-written; between-subjects). Nine hundred eighty-six subjects rated two articles on credibility, readability, and journalistic expertise. Varying the declared source had small but consistent effects: subjects rated articles declared as human written always more favorably, regardless of the actual source. Varying the actual source had larger effects: subjects rated computer-written articles as more credible and higher in journalistic expertise but less readable. Across topics, subjects’ perceptions did not differ. The results provide conservative estimates for the favorability of computer-written news, which will further increase over time and endorse prior calls for establishing ethics of computer-written news.
Major news outlets such as the New York Times and the Guardian have recently launched ambitious immersive journalism projects. Adopting the technologies and rhetoric of immersive journalism first ...presented by Nonny de la Peña in 2010, these news outlets seek to use virtual reality and 360 video to create deeper engagement and empathy with their audiences. Yet can immersive journalism enhance empathy? This question is unanswerable without a thorough discussion of the concept of empathy, a discussion that so far has been missing in the academic literature and popular commentary. This article addresses the gap by presenting current debates about the definition of empathy and using these debates to critically assess de la Peña's immersive journalism projects "IPSRESS" and "Hunger in Los Angeles," and the recent New York Times "The Displaced" and Guardian's "6 × 9" immersive journalism projects. The conclusion is twofold: On the one hand, I will argue that some immersive journalism projects are approaching a format that may enhance empathy, and on the other hand, I will propose that the project of immersive journalism needs to go beyond this goal and into adopting a more forceful role in shaping the future of virtual reality.
The availability of data feeds, the demand for news on digital devices, and advances in algorithms are helping to make automated journalism more prevalent. This article extends the literature on the ...subject by analysing professional journalists' experiences with, and opinions about, the technology. Uniquely, the participants were drawn from a range of news organizations-including the BBC, CNN, and Thomson Reuters-and had first-hand experience working with robo-writing software provided by one of the leading technology suppliers. The results reveal journalists' judgements on the limitations of automation, including the nature of its sources and the sensitivity of its "nose for news". Nonetheless, journalists believe that automated journalism will become more common, increasing the depth, breadth, specificity, and immediacy of information available. While some news organizations and consumers may benefit, such changes raise ethical and societal issues and, counter-intuitively perhaps, may increase the need for skills-news judgement, curiosity, and scepticism-that human journalists embody.
The Ethics of Web Analytics Tandoc, Edson C.; Thomas, Ryan J.
Digital journalism,
03/2015, Letnik:
3, Številka:
2
Journal Article
Recenzirano
The collection and reporting of audience data through Web analytics is reshaping the news construction process, with journalists now aware of what their online audiences want. A more important ...question than understanding this process of adoption of Web analytics in the newsroom is how access to audience metrics impacts on the journalism that journalists produce. In this essay, we pose three interconnected concerns about the use of Web analytics in journalism, guided by journalism's communitarian role. First, we warn of the danger of viewing the audience as disaggregated segments based on consumer preference. Second, we argue against choice as a moral end and call for distinction between the public interest and what the public is interested in. Finally, we warn against the dangers of journalism studies romanticizing the audience and arguing too strongly against journalistic autonomy.
Ethics Without Borders in a Digital Age Auman, Ann; Stos, Susan; Burch, Elizabeth
Journalism & mass communication educator,
03/2020, Letnik:
75, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Following ethical standards is more critical than ever in a digital world where media reaches global, fragmented audiences. But each country, culture, and situation is different. So, how do we decide ...what standards are important to teach? Syndicate participants identified issues that instructors need to address to answer this question. This report represents areas of agreement as well as differences on teaching ethics without borders in a digital age.
Data Journalism has attracted considerable academic attention as an innovative journalism practice in the recent past. It has resulted in a steady increase in academic research on data journalism. A ...subset of these studies deals with imparting training in data journalism. This study attempts to systematically review the peer-reviewed academic literature on data journalism training in order to ascertain the present status of academic research on the subject. By examining the studies, it brings together insights about the prevalent methods used in data journalism training, the challenges faced by the instructors, the recommended best practices and the students' perception about data journalism training. The study finds that accommodating a new programme in the existing tight schedule of journalism curricula, alleviating the math-fear in students and adequately addressing the interdisciplinary nature of the practice through consistent up-skilling are some of the challenges faced by data journalism educators. It also finds that the academic literature on data journalism training is less concerned about imparting ethical awareness related to the practice.
Adopting an institutional logics perspective, this study examines various fact-checking practices in the context of three field-level logics that may shape these practices: a journalistic logic, a ...social-service logic, and a market logic. We conceptualize fact-checking sites as hybrid operations that are likely to be shaped by multiple logics, but which may show signs of standardization. Findings from a content analysis of diverse fact-checkers showed a vibrancy and similarity of stand-alone fact-checkers, suggesting these may be a budding institutional form. However, findings also reveal a field that is diverse in its organizational types, practices, and logics.
Journalism critics have argued that transparency about the reporting process is an ethical imperative. Convergence offers news organizations opportunities for changed writing styles that may foster ...more transparency, especially as they embrace video storytelling. This project used two experiments to investigate the impact of transparent language on the way online news consumers perceive the credibility of video news reports. The study operationalized transparency in narrative as the use of first-person statements and references to the newsgathering process. Subjects noticed transparency statements but this had no significant effect on their assessment of the credibility of a story or reporter. The results suggest that transparency is a distinct variable with a complicated relationship to other audience effects.
This study investigates the ethical orientations journalism students bring to the profession they seek to enter. Using Q methodology to explore the participants' subjective conceptions of journalism, ...we map their attitudes and beliefs about journalistic norms and ethics. Participants (n = 54) sorted 28 statements about journalism from 'most like' their journalistic mindset to 'most unlike.' Factor analysis identified two distinct mindsets among the participants, one expressing a traditional journalistic mindset, the other embracing a more involved, vocal journalism. Yet both factors expressed strong support for many facets of traditional journalism and embraced an orientation towards the search for truth and the need for truthful reporting.
Media ethics in the Pacific Islands varies considerably among nations in practice, as shown in scholarship. This case study of 16 Marshall Islands journalists aims to provide evidence of ethical ...decision-making in practice in one Pacific Island nation, and demonstrate the intersection of imported journalism values and local culture. It builds on survey work of Pacific Island journalists’ roles by Singh and Hanusch (2021), the Worlds of Journalism study by Hanitzsch et al. (2019) and works by Robie (2004, 2014 and 2019). Responses from 16 journalists in the Republic of the Marshall Islands who made ethical decisions during a journalism workshop facilitated by the newly established Pacific Media Institute at the College of Marshall Islands in June 2022 were analysed. First, the participants identified ethical conflicts in carrying out their professional duties. Next, they applied standard ethics codes from democracies (absolutism), to local scenarios. Discussion centered on how to address the core value of independence because of dominance of the church and the strongly influential chiefly system in RMI. Personal relationships were also factored in their ethical decision-making because the journalists considered the perspectives of all stakeholders in reporting on Marshallese culture and society. They were keenly aware of the consequences of their reporting on their community. They offered unique, locally derived solutions from different perspectives. They often exhibited an ‘ethics of care', prioritising humanity and sometimes societal harmony.
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