One month of President Donald Trump’s actions in office was all that was necessary for Americans to realize journalism and freedom of the press are in immediate danger. The careers of many journalism students at Ohio University, and access to factual information, are being threatened.
Trump officially barred Associated Press reporters from covering news in the Oval Office in a statement Feb. 12. His words have turned to action, an idea that many of Trump’s supporters have said was unlikely. Although this is the most recent anti-media movement Trump has made, it’s not the only one and there isn’t enough concern surrounding the issue.
A culmination of actions in government and advances made in technology, such as artificial intelligence, are shifting how the U.S. reads and finds news. Trump’s recent decision to bar journalists is the most jarring action made thus far, openly disregarding the First Amendment’s protection of freedom of the press.
Earlier this year, before Trump returned to the White House, Meta did away with fact-checking. Mark Zuckerberg claimed this change was due to “political bias” on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram. This will have consequences, as platforms run by Zuckerberg and Musk are where many U.S. citizens get their news and information.
The spread of false news will ultimately increase as a result. Doing away with fact-checking for the reasons Zuckerberg did is outrageous. Instead, he should’ve selected and hired the proper candidates to fact check in a non-biased way. The facts need to be reported and clarified.
In the background of these changes is the emergence of AI in journalism and the ethics of its use in publications in the U.S. The New York Times has stated AI is being used to give readers recommended stories and website improvements. The AP has used AI to generate headlines and write public safety incidents. Although these implications are generally harmless, it feels like only a matter of time before the technology is researched and improved enough to generate stories and replace journalists.
Humanity in news and feature stories is what makes journalism so important to the public. The convenience of AI is an exciting advancement in technology, and where it can be used in the right way, it should be. Its use for the timeliness of stories and research can be extremely beneficial. However, there should always be a human aspect to a story and an author behind it.
Journalism is battling two fronts against the advancement and implementation of modern technology and actions made by Trump. Accuracy and access to information are dwindling as a result and will further confuse and misinform the U.S., specifically on important political movements.
Student journalists at OU have recognized the changes as a negative thing, and with that comes a hope for journalism’s future. However, for students to move into these jobs, they need to still exist and serve a purpose. The U.S. needs to shift its priorities to ensure citizens are informed accurately and often.
Abby Jenkins is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Abby know by tweeting her @abbyjenks18 or emailing her at aj205621@ohio.edu.
