Journalism's Real Crisis Isn't AI-It's Getting the Facts Wrong
Two veteran editors told newsrooms this week that artificial intelligence poses less danger to journalism than careless reporting does. Michael Cooke, former editor of Canada's Toronto Star, and Murdoch Davis, a 50-year media veteran, made the case during the Bangladesh Journalism Conference 2026 that the technology itself matters far less than how newsrooms choose to use it.
"The biggest concern is simple: getting journalism wrong," they said. Sloppy reporting, weak editorial judgment and careless use of technology can all accelerate misinformation-particularly in politically charged environments where false stories spread rapidly.
Where Smaller Newsrooms Should Start
Newsrooms in developing countries often lack resources for formal AI oversight. Cooke and Davis said smaller organizations don't need to build policies from scratch. Instead, they should study frameworks used by larger outlets and adapt them to their own capacity.
The foundation remains unchanged: commitment to truth, honesty and accuracy. AI should never replace verification or factual reporting.
"Responsible AI use is still possible even without large budgets or advanced technical infrastructure," they said. Basic internal guidelines defining what AI should and should not be used for are enough to start.
The Transparency Question
Should newsrooms tell audiences when AI helped produce a story? The answer is complicated. Cooke and Davis said transparency matters now, while public trust around AI remains fragile. But the industry hasn't settled what counts as AI-assisted work.
Spell-checking, grammar correction and story shortening all involve AI. Whether these require disclosure remains debated inside newsrooms.
Entry-Level Jobs Under Pressure
Routine newsroom tasks face automation. Basic reporting built around official statements, meeting minutes and structured information-work traditionally done by junior reporters-can already be processed and summarized by AI quickly.
Real reporting still requires humans: fieldwork, verification and editorial judgment cannot be automated. But the volume of entry-level opportunities may shrink.
Misinformation at Scale
AI-generated misinformation isn't a future risk. It's already spreading. Deepfakes, manipulated videos and synthetic content circulate globally, with polarized societies especially vulnerable during elections and political crises.
The speed and scale of AI-generated falsehoods make them difficult for journalists to counter before they spread widely online.
Why Most Newsrooms Aren't Rushing
Cooke and Davis pushed back on the idea that newsrooms are racing to integrate AI. Many organizations are moving cautiously, some too slowly. The real problem is that serious discussions about ethics, transparency and standards should happen before tools become even more widespread.
Newsrooms that move slowly now may avoid costly mistakes later.
Trust Cannot Be Manufactured
Five years from now, AI will either strengthen journalism or weaken public trust further. The outcome depends on how news organizations choose to behave.
Newsrooms genuinely committed to truth, fairness and honesty will uphold those values regardless of technological change. Disinformation websites and low-quality content operations will also expand using the same tools.
"Trust is handmade by people," they said. "It cannot simply be manufactured by machines."
For PR and communications professionals, this matters directly. As AI for PR & Communications becomes standard, understanding how journalists evaluate credibility-and how misinformation spreads-shapes how organizations build and protect reputation. Understanding Generative AI and LLM capabilities helps communicators anticipate how newsrooms will operate and where trust breaks down.
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