Tweet All About It! The Future of Journalism in the Age of News Entertainment

Abstract: What role will technology and innovation play in the future of journalism? The field of journalism is currently in flux. Once thought of as an objective “view from nowhere,” it’s clear in the modern age of social media, fake news, and sensationalistic headlines, that journalists are struggling to present a realistic view of the world. At the same time, consumers of news are consistently more attracted by controversy than by viewpoints that do not convey an opinion, which means that if journalists do not succumb to sensationalism, they may lose followers, user attention, and detrimentally affect a business model that is already struggling for many news outlets.

In a conversation moderated by SCET managing director, Ken Singer, an industry Roundtable panel will discuss technology’s ever-increasing role in reporting news and media. Can technology be used to help fix some of journalism’s current struggles? How can artificial intelligence be used to detect fake news and bias in reporting to hold people accountable for misinformation and help consumers understand what is true? What is the future business model of journalism? Will the field collapse and be replaced with social media or similar technology or will new technology tools create a renaissance and enable journalists to execute more informative, truthful, and useful reporting?

The goal of the Innovation-X Roundtable series is to help industry adapt at this critical time. How can companies innovate to create the biggest impact for industry and society now and in the future? From these initial discussions, will emerge Discovery Projects, where we will leverage the resources of UC Berkeley faculty and students to create innovative solutions with Network members that guide the future of industry.