• by Ray Schultz , September 27, 2023

Gen Z journalists are entering the field with a spirit of idealism, judging by NextGen Journalists: Navigating Misinformation, AI and The Future Of Journalism, a study by Greentarget.  

Of those polled, 72% have a positive outlook on journalism. And they believe in traditional journalistic values — for instance, 87% say journalists should strive for impartiality. 

But 76% fear social media could worsen the spread of misinformation. And while 55% say misinformation has reinforced their interest in journalism, 25% feel it has diminished it. 

In addition, 59% are concerned about diversity in the field, 15% strongly so. Most agree that their journalism programs stressed the need for diverse sources in reporting.

On another front, 50% agree AI is a threat to journalists and people in related careers, while 74% agree AI will have a significant impact on the field. 

They are already using these AI tools in their journalism work: 

• AI translation tools — 52% 
• AI writing tools — 43% 
• AI copy-editing tools — 21%
• AI organizational tools — 9%
• Other — 4% 
• None of the above — 15% 

Gen Z reporters chose journalistic careers for these reasons:

• Provide information for informed decisions — 62%
• Expose injustice — 58% 
• Learn new things — 49%
• Fight misinformation/disinformation — 45% 
• Educate others — 41% 
• Pursue an exciting career — 37% 
• Make a difference in the world — 35%
• Interact with people — 30%
• Hold governments and institutions accountable – 29%
• Expand network – 24%
• Gain notoriety through work — 9% 
• Alternative to other writing careers — 8%
• Other — 2% 

Greentarget surveyed 100 emerging or current journalists in the second quarter of 2023.