AI is not the cause of journalism’s decline but a potential solution. By automating tasks, enhancing distribution, and enabling innovative storytelling, AI empowers independent journalists and revives local news. Tools like AI-driven transcription and multilingual content adaptation bridge resource gaps, ensuring broader access to quality reporting. Used responsibly, AI can revitalize journalism, reconnecting communities with critical news and supporting independent voices.
Two common criticisms of AI are its perceived threats to journalism: job losses and the spread of misinformation. But the reality is that journalism was in decline long before AI entered the picture. Rather than being the cause of journalism’s struggles, AI might actually help save it.
Let’s start with job losses. AI is not the primary driver of journalism’s employment crisis. The news media industry has been shrinking for years due to corporate consolidation, the elimination of local newsrooms and profit-driven models that prioritize financial gains over quality journalism.
Between 2008 and 2020, the newspaper industry lost over 50% of its newsroom jobs. Today, three companies control about 90% of cable news viewership, and four companies dominate 80% of newspaper circulation. From 2013 to 2023, more than 1,800 local newspapers closed or merged, leaving many communities without local news coverage. These trends predate AI’s rise.
What about concerns that AI will spread misinformation and degrade journalistic quality?
Nonsense.
Much of the misinformation plaguing public discourse comes from legacy media itself, not AI. This is a key reason trust in mainstream media has plummeted to historic lows. Ongoing newsroom layoffs aren’t a result of AI; they’re a consequence of producing content that doesn't resonate with people and drives audiences away.
So rather than fearing AI, we should recognize AI's potential to REVITALIZE journalism. Here’s how:
1. AI Empowers Independent Journalism
Mainstream media often prioritizes narratives dictated by corporate interests, leaving little room for unbiased, independent reporting. In contrast, independent journalism—often led by former corporate journalists—is thriving and producing some of the most impactful stories today. However, independent journalists face a major hurdle: distribution. Without the reach of corporate media, their voices often struggle to be heard.
AI can bridge this gap by helping independent journalists' package and distribute their work more effectively. For instance, independent journalism often features long-form content, such as in-depth Substack articles or hour-long podcasts and videos. AI can summarize this content into digestible formats, like TLDRs, making them more accessible to broader audiences. Additionally, AI can handle repetitive tasks like data analysis and transcription, freeing journalists to focus on storytelling and investigative work.
AI also enables personalized content distribution, ensuring stories reach the right audiences. By leveraging AI-driven algorithms, independent journalists can compete with larger outlets, increasing engagement and support for their work. Furthermore, AI opens the door to innovative storytelling formats, such as interactive data visualizations, multilingual content, and automated video or audio production.
For example, NewsRamp™, a platform I co-founded with David McInnis (founder of PRWeb), uses AI to adapt original content into multiple formats—news articles, blog posts, TLDRs, videos, audio, and zero-click content. It then distributes this content across proprietary networks of news sites, blogs, forums, podcasts, video platforms, newsletters, and social media. By translating content into 12 languages and tailoring it to specific platforms, NewsRamp ensures maximum visibility and engagement for journalists.
2. AI Revives Local Journalism
The decline of local newspapers has left many communities without coverage of critical events, such as town hall meetings, school board discussions, and local government decisions. While digital platforms have attempted to fill the gap, limited budgets often prevent them from sending reporters to cover these events.
AI can help.
Tools like CitizenPortal.ai use AI to transcribe publicly available PDFs and video recordings from local meetings, turning them into news stories and summaries. This approach ensures communities stay informed about local issues, even when newsrooms lack the resources to cover them in person. This content can be used by local media to improve their product.
Final Thoughts
The key to harnessing AI’s potential lies in designing and using these tools creatively and responsibly to empower independent voices, revive local journalism, and better inform people. Rather than being a threat, AI can be a powerful ally in saving journalism.
