Here's your chance to help define ethics for AI in Canada’s journalism industry
Tell the Canadian Association of Journalists what’s on your mind when it comes to artificial intelligence.
Hey y’all! It’s T-minus one week before my husband and I go abroad, so there are a bunch of loose ends to tie up before I get to eat my way through Italy. Wish me luck! 🤤
Before I get to the new stuff, if you haven’t yet checked out the Canadian Association of Journalists’ (CAJ) latest version of our Ethics Guidelines, I highly recommend bookmarking and revisiting them. Released late last year, these handy guidelines were the result of months and months of hard work by my fellow Ethics Advisory Committee members. (Bonus: Check out our updated 2021 “What Is Journalism?” paper.)
I love endlessly nerding out on ethical conundrums with this talented and passionate group of industry experts who understand that journalism is fundamentally about asking questions, and who are never afraid to ask uncomfortable questions in service of the Canadian public. To me, ethics in journalism is similar to principles in your personal life. They’re the bedrock of trust and even though not everyone (especially sources your reporting is critical of) will like what you say/write/produce, you know that’s okay because it’s coming from a place of considered thought and consistency. So, shout out to Patricia Elliott, Iris Fischer, Brian Hastings, Nadia Kidwai, Pat Perkel, Charmaine de Silva, Nebal Snan, Lisa Taylor, Terra Tailleur and Karen Unland for being fun debate and brainstorming partners.
Now, on to AI. At the 2024 CAJ Annual Conference, I’ll be moderating a panel of experts who will discuss AI's ethical implications in Canada's news industry. We'll dissect AI's application in both news reporting and business strategies, as well as how it’s reshaping journalistic roles, especially in light of deep-fakes and misinformation. We'll also explore the challenges that AI can pose to the industry and news audiences, including threats to data privacy and security.
Here are the layers we plan to explore:
An overview of what generative AI is, how it intersects with journalism in Canada, and what ethical frameworks have been/should be applied;
Ethical ways to use AI tools to further journalism’s interests, both editorially and in business development;
The ethical pitfalls embedded in the platforms themselves (where the training data comes from, profit motive vs. public good, etc.);
How to use AI tools in a way that respects privacy and keeps data safe;
How AI has already changed the industry and will continue to do so (value of some writing is downgraded while value of fact-checking and editing is upgraded; fear of deep-fakes may cause audiences to distrust all journalism, necessitating efforts to rebuild trust through real-life interactions)
Following the discussion, we invite you to contribute to a crowdsourcing effort aimed at developing practical ethical guidelines for AI in journalism. The goal of the CAJ Ethics Advisory Committee’s AI subcommittee, led by myself and Karen Unland, is to produce a white paper followed by guidelines in the near future with your support. Questions we’ll be asking include: What do media outlets and journalists want to know about ethics in AI and journalism? What kind of scenarios are you grappling with?
Finally, don’t forget to register for the conference, which will take place in Toronto from May 31 to June!
The Green Line: We’re looking for short-form and long-form pitches for video and digital
The Green Line is looking for freelancers interested in short-form and long-form pitches for text-based articles, as well as videos, from experienced reporters based in Toronto that tackle systemic issues in the city through a solutions lens. We offer highly competitive freelance rates. If you’re interested in pitching, please email your resume, cover letter and links to three clips to hello@thegreenline.to.
Quick and Clean
I’ll be chatting with Katie Drummond, global editorial director of Wired, about the future of digital news this coming Thursday, April 11 hosted by the Toronto Public Library, DemocracyXChange and the Canadian Journalism Foundation. Register for this free in-person event before tickets run out!
Read this timely two-part series from Nieman Lab about why many small nonprofit newsrooms feel overlooked by funders, and why patterns in philanthropy are leaving them behind.
Today’s the last day to apply for an exciting new role as development director at the fantastic LION Publishers. This executive-level position will lead the organization’s revenue diversification strategy to support its long-term sustainability.
If you’re a food lover and/or history nerd, I highly recommend checking out my favourite go-to YouTube channel, Tasting History with Max Miller.
How you can support The Other Wave
My professional mission has always been to support the global movement towards more thoughtful, impactful news coverage, and all the ways that manifests. If The Other Wave gets you to think even a little differently about journalism, especially in Canada, then I will have accomplished what I set out to do. And if TOW gets you to take action and support Canadian media outlets — especially ones that strive to be innovative and inclusive — I will have exceeded my expectations.
If my values and goals resonate with you, please consider supporting fiercely independent media analysis that fills in gaps in coverage of the Canadian journalism landscape. How? Feel free to provide feedback, pass along resources, donate money or simply share this newsletter with your friends.