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%
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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.