Algorithmic Journalism—Current Applications and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Journalism, more so than other professions, is entangled with technology in a unique and profoundly impactful way. In this context, the technological developments of the past decades have fundamentally impacted the journalistic profession in more ways than one, opening up new possibilities and simultaneously creating a number of concerns for people working in the media industry. The changes that were brought about by the rise of automation and algorithmic technology can mainly be observed in four distinct fields of application within journalism: automated content production, data mining, news dissemination and content optimization. This article focuses on algorithmic journalism and aims to highlight the ways that algorithmic technology is being utilized within those fields, as well as pointing out the ways in which these developments have altered the way journalism is being exercised in the modern world. The study also discusses challenges related to these technologies that are yet to be addressed, as well as potential future implementations related to algorithmic journalism that have the capacity to improve on the foundation of automation in the news industry.

Applications of Big Data in Media Organizations

“…This is often accomplished by highlighting specific patterns within these huge amounts of data that can lead to interesting conclusions (Ramageri 2010). In other words, data mining tools enact the role of a mediator between journalists and big data, as they allow for the retrieval of potentially useful information from large datasets that would otherwise be inaccessible (Kotenidis and Veglis 2021).…”

To disclose or not disclose, is no longer the question – effect of AI-disclosed brand voice on brand authenticity and attitude

“…The Bavarian State Government’s Digital Minister called for mandatory disclosure statements if content on social networks is AI-generated to avoid misinformation, misleading content and fake news (Webecho-Bamberg, 2022). Algorithms already write articles for large media publishers: a process referred to as “algorithmic journalism” or “robot journalism” (Kotenidis and Veglis, 2021). Transparency and AI-generated news are controversial in this connection (Kotenidis and Veglis, 2021; Schapals and Porlezza, 2020), and calls have been made for explicit disclosure by naming AI in the bylines (Montal and Reich, 2016).…”

“…Algorithms already write articles for large media publishers: a process referred to as “algorithmic journalism” or “robot journalism” (Kotenidis and Veglis, 2021). Transparency and AI-generated news are controversial in this connection (Kotenidis and Veglis, 2021; Schapals and Porlezza, 2020), and calls have been made for explicit disclosure by naming AI in the bylines (Montal and Reich, 2016).…”

Integrating Chatbot Media Automations in Professional Journalism: An Evaluation Framework

“…A variety of professional fields got affected by the arrival of these technologies, and a prime example of that was the media and news industry, a sector always renowned for its unique entanglement with technological developments [2]. The way these new technologies were incorporated into the workflow of modern journalists were many and spanned across various fields of application, including the likes of content production and communication between the journalist and the audience [3]. Perhaps one of the most intriguing uses found for these new technologies was that of automated conversational agents.…”