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The Future Press: Testing AI in Journalism Confirmation | Online News Association

I found this Zoom discussion really fascinating. We had the opportunity to hear from students attending the University of Texas, who shared valuable insights on how to utilize artificial intelligence in a newsroom setting. The project, funded by The Dallas Morning News, tasked students who were part of the "The Future Press" team at UT with creating news stories entirely using AI tools. What stood out to me most was when Ryan spoke candidly about the ethical challenges of generating content with the help of AI.

Before taking this course, I had no idea how vast and accessible the network of AI tools truly is. The Zoom discussion mainly focused on the group’s interactions with generative AI—what was useful and what wasn’t. The students shared transparent findings and explained how they developed content suitable for publication.

Would I personally rely on artificial intelligence to build an entire story? No. Honestly, as we've seen in past examples from our Multimedia class, AI can sometimes misidentify names, dates, or locations—mistakes that can lead to misinformation if left unedited. While I believe AI platforms like ChatGPT, Bing AI, and Google Gemini can assist journalists in brainstorming ideas, drafting outlines, or speeding up research, the final responsibility for accuracy and ethics must remain with the human reporter.

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New York Times reporter exposes devastating impact of chronic low-level head trauma in the military

Following my reading of the New York Times Reporter Dave Phillips and how he exposed the devastating impact of chronic low-level head trauma in the military, I came away with a lot of great information that I could apply to my journalism, especially as someone who'sinterested in reporting politics which can be a space of secrecy and tight knit information amongst only a handful of individuals. My first observation following reading this article was how Phillips mentions the importance of covering the military with an open mind instead of going in with preconceived labels of service members. Interestingly, he refrains from using the word "veteran" because he believes it diminishes the' vast impact of military members on our lives. Similarly to the Pulitzer Center's discussion on building trust, Phillips explains how framing a question can make all the difference. Finding an angle that allows one to investigate a story is essential, allowing interviewees to feel they are contributing to the greater good. Focus on what could be a positive result of your reporting instead of focusing on the interviewee's past. Phillips provides insight into pivoting your reporting and not being afraid to ask questions that may lead to different conclusions. He explains that if you can find sources to back up new information, you will know you are heading towards the right track. Exploring additional avenues of material, including obituaries, can help connect you with other people you may want to interview. I found this information helpful because it demonstrates that while you may not be able to communicate with the main subject, you can find family, friends, and loved ones willing to share details of that person's life, including their triumphs and struggles.

Additionally, Phillips explains the importance of building connections, especially with individuals who may be challenging to connect with. In his case, he speaks about his experience finding interviewees in tight-knit military communities. This can be applied to my journalism by approaching each story with empathy and an open mind, especially when working with communities I may not be familiar with. By building trust, being flexible in my reporting approach, and seeking out alternative voices—such as friends and family members—I can tell fuller, more human stories that honor the complexity of people's experiences. Phillips urges journalists like me to look for unreported angles and find new ways to cover topics that bring awareness to new ideas and issues. While working on our Multimedia Project about Food Insecurity in Alamance County, I often attempted to ask questions that would provide new angles for reporting instead of covering what community members may have already known. Finally, Phillips explains how essential it is to cover complex topics and explain them to an everyday audience. Instead of using numerous scientific terms, you can infuse your writing with language or metaphors that the average media consumer can comprehend. I love how Phillips explains that even though there were times when he would ask himself if the story he was pursuing was even worth continuing forward with, he never gave up and told himself that his reporting could provide families and communities with answers they did not have previously.

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Post Reflection JOU 4500 Personal Story

In the end I am proud of my project and the amount of work it took to not only edit my videos and audio but in addition the ability to give myself permission to share my story with others. Despite having only four other people in class with me I found myself many times during the process of editing and working on my storyboard considering tossing it out and picking a "safe" topic. Discussing my struggles with my mental health and my eating disorder was not something I had planned to share with the world prior to this class. To be fair, only the people closest to me know about my struggles with anxiety, panic disorder, and anorexia nervosa.

During the initial idea of conceptualizing my project it was great to have the ability to think creatively and ask myself what topic would not only be "personal" but also be helpful to show other people who may be struggling with mental health disorders. For a long time my mental health was something that I struggled with internally. This project finally gave me an outlet to discuss it with people I trust.

Editing this video was not entirely difficult for me as I have in the past worked for other people to edit videos and even created content myself for my own Youtube page. I did have a few struggles with Premiere Pro including at one point not being able to drag my clips onto the timeline. It was at that moment where I was very close to throwing my laptop across the room. However, instead I went online and tried to find a video that would help diagnose the issue. Several attempts later, I was back on track. When deciding about what music to include I chose to pick copyright free music that symbolized each period in my life. At the beginning you'll notice the music is upbeat and playful. This reflects how my life has been going recently. However, the music shifts when I begin reflecting on my mental health journey to be more somber. Finally, the music I picked out at the end was done in a way that would allow me to showcase how I was finding solutions to my problems and addressing them.

Overall, I was really happy with how this turned out. While it was difficult to address my traumas with other people I was happy that I was given the opportunity to. My final thoughts were that I still find myself having difficulty to express myself. However, I was proud that I was able to sit down and edit this and feel confident enough to show it to other people. My mom was the special touch at the end of the video because she means a lot to me and has been the one who has helped me through my mental health journey. That is why I decided to have her featured towards the end of the story.

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Reflection on Prior JOU 4500 Personal Story Assignments

Overall, I enjoyed previewing several students' prior work in JOU 4500 for their personal stories. Following my viewing, one of my main realizations was that the less you rely on a script, the more organic your story will reach an audience. One technique I plan to apply to my video was shown in the first project, where the subject started in the present day but then went back and highlighted how we got to the current point.

My critiques were mainly about storyboarding and staying away from many stories within one story. For example, the final project we watched became scattered because the subject attempted to capture too many ideas within one piece of work, which I found difficult to comprehend. However, one positive critique I had was that I appreciated the raw emotions captured in his story. An additional takeaway from this project was that the creator did conclude the story but left the audience with a reflection statement instead of a proper conclusion.

Regarding including sound in our videos, I noted what worked and what needed improvement. For example, if a video relied too heavily on background music to convey emotion, I found that the script was often poorly executed and could not emotionally communicate the story. However, including "nat sounds" helped to enhance several of the work we saw in class. Ensuring sound is balanced throughout the project is essential. Otherwise, we would be left with some videos with dramatic volume changes throughout the playtime while others were difficult to hear. Finally, determining the length of your story is essential because I had one issue with many personal stories: they could have been edited down for more effective storytelling.

It's essential to capture the holy trinity of video, audio, and editing so that my story can convey my emotional retelling of a complicated and ongoing issue in my day-to-day life while engaging with visuals that keep the audience wanting to see more. Overall, the past projects were informative and helpful in guiding me toward my final personal story assignment. I am looking forward to showing my piece.

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AI and transparency | Online News Association

Today’s class was really interesting as we focused most of the time on watching a previous class discussion on the impacts and importance of AI in journalism. Before this JOU 45000 Multimedia Journalism class, I had not spent much time considering the implications of Artificial Intelligence in the newsroom environment. What I appreciated about the lecture was that instead of focusing on the drawbacks of Artificial Intelligence, the discussion was centered on the ethical and practical ways one can utilize these tools to enhance one’s journalism. For example, AI platforms such as Google Gemini, ChatGPT, and Claude can generate ideas to help inspire your work. Needing help deciding what questions to ask your interviewees, AI can assist you with prompts and ideas of what direction you may want to take your work in. Needless to say, journalists mustn’t rely solely on AI to write their stories. Many platforms are still struggling to find the correct information. In the discussion, we witnessed how if you asked ChatGPT to write a story about the recent Mayoral race in Chicago, Illinois, it inserted incorrect names and false information that, if unchecked, could damage the reputation of a journalist or newsroom that carelessly decided to run that story as told by AI.  

AI should not be a crutch but a toolbox of limitless possibilities when conceptualizing and publishing essential pieces of journalism. Additionally, platforms such as Sora can offer visuals to complement pieces of work. However, advancements are still being made to offer more realistic depictions of people, places, and things instead of the current renditions coming off as cartoonish. Speaking of photojournalism, the lecturer informed us that it would be unethical for a photojournalist to ask AI to recreate a scene if there was no accompanying photo from the story. As journalists, we have a responsibility and a moral obligation to be honest and truthful in our reporting. If we publish entire articles or photographs made by AI, it will leave our audiences with less trust in the media in an environment where many people choose other ways of receiving their news. 

In summary, today’s discussion was very helpful in informing me of the various platforms and applications that use AI. I discovered how I could use said platforms to enhance my work as a journalist. Following spring break, the five of us will be working on creating an investigative journalism piece for the final major project of the semester. I am curious about how what we learned today could be infused into the future of journalism and this upcoming assignment.

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Adam Wolfbrandtt's JOU 4500 Visit

Professor Piland allowed Adam Wolfbrandtt to speak to us in my JOU 4500 course at Elon University. I found the Zoom call to be very informative and engaging. Wolfbrandtt got to talk about his passion for journalism, specifically engaging in photographic journalism. Adam is about to embark on an assignment where he will be capturing shots from the ocean’s depths for Ocean X. I have tremendous respect for the work Adam does because, speaking for myself, I would be unwilling to traverse the ocean floor in a miniature submarine. Wolfbrandtt told the class how small the vessel he and two others, a scientist and an engineer, shared when exploring the ocean. 

Additionally, Adam Wolfbrandtt graciously answered my question when I asked him, “As someone who does not plan to specifically seek a career in the field of Journalism, what skills do you believe a journalist learns that can be applied to different areas of expertise in the job market.” He told me that whether I was going to pursue a career in journalism or find a professional job in another field, it was necessary to remember that many of the communication skills I have learned, including active listening, building trust, and forming relationships, will all be required for success in any industry. I was very appreciative of Adam taking the time to answer my question. 

Overall, by having Adam Wolfbrandtt visit our class, I could understand more about his work with Ocean X. Still, I also gathered information about my likes and dislikes regarding my future career plans. The discussion informed me of the different options you have when it comes to working in the journalism field. However, I do not see myself in Adam’s position as a free-lance photojournalist because I find it essential to have a constant idea of where my future lies and what I will be expected to do over a period of time. However, learning about Adam’s adventures and seeing his photography inspired me to pursue more opportunities to learn more about photography. While I do not see myself becoming a profound sea photographer, I could see myself taking photos of high-power political figures and writing about them. Thank you, Adam, for your time and expertise. 

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Charity Water Video

1.) Scott Harrison founder of Charity Water did an excellent job in my opinion of keeping me engaged throughout the video. This multimedia piece contained a plethora of information. I found sections of this video too difficult to watch whether because of my own personal anxieties. However, I believe this information and clips of people suffering from various diseases was necessary to show audiences despite it being visually difficult for me. The story was timely because it spoke to the urgent need for donations to help continue the work this organization has been providing for the people of Africa and other regions afflicted by poor water quality. The idea of clean water may not present itself as a huge news story in the United States of America because of our rigorous standards when it comes to the cleanliness of our drinking water. However, while watching this video I could not help but think of the water crisis in Flint Michigan (https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/04/20/465545378/lead-laced-water-in-flint-a-step-by-step-look-at-the-makings-of-a-crisis) Clean water is a human right that everyone should have access to.

2.) I was impacted by this story seeing the faces of those who were forced to consume water with a variety of different bacterias was very alarming and caused great concern for me. I would definitely look into what I could do to help this organization in the future. I plan on eventually seeking public office in some capacity and believe that of the many things that are important and worldly to prioritize nowadays that the issue of clean water is a very important one.

3.) I felt several emotions throughout the duration of this video including anger, disgust, and encouraging. The story about the nine year old girl had a very deep impact on me because I hope to be able to leave behind a legacy of project and change whenever I pass on. It reminded me that not everyday is guaranteed and we should seek to be our best selves and help others in our communities at home and abroad whether it's convenient or not. I felt very encouraged by hearing about the outpouring of donations following her death. However, I wish as a society we do not always wait till tragedy strikes to feel the need to get involved in something we deem important.

4.) Overall, the most powerful portion of the video for myself was when they showed the various tumors, legions, and diseases affecting residents impacted by the contaminated drinking water. While it was hard to bare witness to what I was seeing on screen I believe it really had an impact on myself as a viewer seeing how serious of a problem this is and continues to be.

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Reflection on my Personal Story

Following being assigned the Personal Story Assignment I had a mixture of emotions.

I believe this project will be challenging in the sense of video audio and on a deeper level. It tasks us to reflect on a moment of great significance, good or bad, and transform that work into a piece of multimedia journalism we will likely have to live with for the rest of our lives. I have already begun brainstorming a few ideas about this assignment including detailing my coming out story, highlighting the loss of my grandfather battling dementia, or discussing the struggle with my mental health over the past few years following COVID-19.

I appreciate being assigned this project because I believe it will serve me well to tell my story in an environment where other people will listen to my past experiences and be challenged to understand how said experience has shaped my life. I have no doubt this project will be challenging and mentally demanding but I believe the reward at the end will to be able to finally tell my story.

I have not spent a ton of time reflecting on this assignment because I have many other projects and assignments that I am simultaneously completing for other courses. However, I am interested in how I will combine the multiple elements of film, interviews, sound, pictures to tell a compelling story that is both informative, reflective, and visually pleasing.

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The Pulitzer Center video centered itself around many questions involving building trust. Below I will include my highlights from each question !

How can you build trust when interviewing sources who have experienced trauma ? 

It's important to be straightforward with your interviewee from the beginning interactions

If you want to interview a certain group (i.e. Women) they may be more comfortable surrounding themselves with other women.

You can acknowledge the power dynamic (Journalist v.s. Interviewee

Focus on people over deadlines (Get to know your subjects)

Be honest with your intentions (Where will the story be published)

How can journalists visually represent website stories in an effective way ?

Figure out the WHY. Why are you covering the story ?

Break down myths about what a journalist does

How have you navigated reporting sensitive stories in communities where you may be considered an outsider ? 

Understanding cultures/Taboos (What's acceptable)

Trust your feelings/gut instinct

How do you handle when a source says “no” or pushes back on a question ? 

Rework your structure

Explain to subjects why certain difficult questions will help readers to understand their situation/additional context

How do you protect the safety of sensitive stories who remain in their communities after you’ve left with your story ?

Be careful that your mistakes don’t lead to others suffering worse consequences 

How can journalists avoid stereotypes of trauma reporting while covering sensitive stories ?

"Half the story is pain/the other half is resilience"

Let subject express their entire story 

Building relationships/Forming Connections 

What strategies can be used when working with sources who may not have prior experience with the media ?

Stopping the interview 

Explain basic journalism concepts (On or Off the record)

Can you recall a specific moment or story from your career that taught you about building trust ?

Explain what your process will be (What it’s about and where it’s going to go ...)

What coping methods do you use to preserve your mental health while reporting on difficult stories ?

Therapy 

Self-Care (Exercise/Meditate)

Have other friends than journalists 

Feeling Pain is Normal

What is one piece of advice or takeaway you have for new journalists learning to report on sensitive stories ?

Moral responsibility to study the situation deeply before you go

Once you’ve made the decision contact other journalists who’ve covered similar situations/Always share security and logistics tips 

Your sources are very important (Keep in touch/Track of them)

Be willing to adapt to the situation/story 

Remember why your telling the story/Add something new to It 

Focus on your subject