The European Broadcasting Union has released its 2025 News Report.
Focusing on the rapid evolution of artificial intelligence for journalists and news outlets, Leading Newsrooms in the Age of Generative AI, provides insights taken from interviews with 20 media and academic experts from around the world.
With the news media assessing the impact of AI models and tools, the report shares a number of ‘to do’ points as the technology continues to transform newsgathering operationss across the globe. These include:
- Journalism strategy: defining missions, audiences and the value organisations can add.
- Distribution strategy: striking a balance between personalisation and creating shared experiences.
- Platform strategy: creating value for audiences on third-party platforms.
- Tech strategy: whether or not to adopt early.
- Data strategy: defining whether content will be shared or made proprietary.
- Talent strategy: when to invest in journalism and/or tech talent.
Reflecting on the pace of AI development and its impacts on newsroom since the 2024 EBU News Report was published, lead author Dr Alexandra Borchardt, said, “As the technology races ahead, there’s a mismatch with media organisations right now as they embrace some AI solutions as helpful tools while staying wary about the implications for accuracy, integrity, public trust and the need to stay visible and legitimate in a flood of AI-generated content.
“Newsrooms have become more strategic with AI on how to bring staff along, how audiences react, how the technology might affect creativity and – with some hope – how it might actually help journalism flourish in an ever more complex environment.”
Liz Corbin, director of news at the EBU, added, “As a newsroom leader, there is nothing more daunting in this age of generative AI than the need to be at the cutting edge of technology while also being responsible for protecting the integrity of our journalism. This report provides inspiring examples and builds confidence that it’s possible to do both. For journalism to thrive, we must add value with brilliant storytelling, uniquely human voices, constant accountability and community connections as trusted partners of the audiences we serve.”
Dr Borchardt was supported by Ed Mulhall, Belén López Garrido and Yolène Johanny, with knowledge shared by experts from organisations including, the BBC (UK), ZDF (Germany), London School of Economics (UK), Washington Post (US), NPO (Netherlands), Radio France, Yle (Finland), Bayerischer Rundfunk (Germany), CBC/Radio Canada, SVT (Sweden), JP/Politikens (Denmark), MIT Media Lab (US), Rappler (Philippines), Center for News, Technology & Innovation (US), How We Do This Ltd (UK), Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism (UK), SR (Sweden) and RTS (Switzerland).
The report can be downloaded here.
