Humans don't trust robots
A new survey confirms the obvious: Readers aren't comfortable with AI creating content, even when humans are a part of the equation.
I asked Chat-GPT to create an image of a human and a robot working together on an article. This is what it created. Concerning?
The reasoning was sound. When ESPN announced last month it was going to partner with Accenture to use AI to write stories about historically under-covered sports leagues like the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), ESPN couched it as a good thing. It would provide recaps that otherwise didn’t appear on ESPN’s website and give fans coverage they currently lacked. Even better, the AI content wouldn’t replace anything created by humans. It seemingly was an AI win-win.
But ESPN was—and is—also taking a significant risk, especially considering recent research. According to new survey data from the nonprofit Trusting News, ESPN and others using AI to write content are willingly walking into journalism’s uncanny valley—that place that instantly makes most readers cringe.
Trusting News and its partner newsrooms, including Iowa Public Radio, the Associated Press, and the USA Today Network, collected 6,000 surveys from readers focused on their comfort level with AI in content creation. While audiences were relatively accepting of AI handling simple tasks like checking spelling and transcribing interviews, that comfort level quickly plummeted when AI was used for more complex tasks. A vast majority of readers—over 80 percent—were uncomfortable with generative AI writing either stories or social media posts on its own. The number of folks uncomfortable with AI’s involvement dropped to just above 50 percent if a human was also involved, presumably checking for accuracy and adding important information and details to stories.
That’s ESPN’s model. It supposedly has editors reviewing its NWSL and PLL coverage. Even so, the first women’s soccer posts came under fire for missing important storylines that a human would have been more than aware of. Others criticized the decision to use AI altogether, claiming that it highlights what EPSN and others prioritize in their coverage. Male sports get the human touch. Women’s sports don’t. And still others see the choice as an insulting backslide on ESPN’s promise to provide real coverage of the NWSL.
And all of this comes on top of several AI content “scandals.” Sports Illustrated was caught using AI to create content from fake AI-generated authors. CNET used AI to write stories riddled with errors. A Wyoming reporter resigned in August after he was caught using AI to create fake quotes from the state’s governor and to write stories for him.
And all this is what people are worried about when AI gets tangled up in journalism. Trust in the content goes right out the window. AI is already being used to populate questionable content farms and fake news sites— the very outcome many in journalism (including JMM) warned would occur once AI was introduced. And while there might be valid use cases for AI in newsrooms—data analysis being a big one—the Trusting News survey shows readers want little to do with it.
The good news is that trust increases when journalists are upfront about the use of AI. Over 90 percent of readers—93.8 percent, to be exact—want journalists to disclose the use of AI, making ESPN’s choice to go public rather prescient. But readers want journalists to go even further than simply stating AI was used in the content creation process. They want to know why journalists decided to use it (87.2 percent) and how it is being used ethically (94.2 percent).
But while 91.5 percent want to know that any content that involves AI is thoroughly reviewed by a human before publication, it still doesn’t make people truly comfortable with it. Less than 11 percent of respondents were very comfortable with that scenario. Which makes total sense to JMM. Journalism runs at Formula 1 speeds. With the volume of content that sometimes needs to be created, human review can be cursory at best. There’s no guarantee an editor will catch all of AI’s “hallucinations” or omissions, which seems to be the major flaw in ESPN’s coverage. And while the same can be said about some human coverage—journalists can make mistakes, y’all—the idea that a robot screwed up just sets us all on edge. That’s AI’s true uncanny valley.
So, while it’s important for journalists to play with AI to discover some of the best use cases for the tool, it’s also really important that we’re honest about it. Journalism already has enough trust issues. A Gallup Poll last year found that only 7 percent of Americans have a great deal of trust in the news media. Deliberately being obtuse about AI use can only make it worse. So, play away, but document everything. Readers want to know.
Busy Bulldogs
Drake Broadcasting System (DBS) has a busy October planned out, but they need your help to bring it all together. The big ask is, of course, for help with the October live show. Rehearsals are Tues., Oct. 29, from 5-7 p.m., with taping occurring Wed., Oct. 30, from 4-6 p.m. You can get the complete lowdown on that show at the normal DBS General Meeting Tues., Oct. 22, at 7 p.m., in the TV Studio in the Meredith Hall basement.
To prep for that you can participate in the 48-Hour Film Fest. Kick-off is Oct. 18 at 7 p.m. in the DBS Lounge in the Meredith basement. You can come with a group or show up solo. Everyone will get a line of dialogue they need to work into their film. You’ll submit your final work on Oct. 20 at 7 p.m. You can check out last year’s flicks on the DBS YouTube channel.
Other ways to prep: Well, DBS has a string of workshops designed for first years and DBS newcomers happening the same week as their General Meeting. The first workshop, “How to Set Up and Tear Down the TV Studio,” is on Oct. 21 from 5-6 p.m. On Tues., Oct. 22, from 4:30-5:30 p.m., you can pick between “Setting Up the Sony Cameras” and “Creating a Package.” On Thurs., Oct. 24, you can attend a DBS interviewing workshop from 2-3 p.m. and learn about using the podcasting rooms and posting your pod from 6:30-7 p.m. Finally, on Fri., Oct. 25, from 11:15-12:15 p.m., there’s “Sports Radio Set Up.” For more info about the workshops, reach out to DBS co-presidents Nicole Cox (Nicole.cox@drake.edu) and Emma Stroner (Emma.stroner@drake.edu).
Finally, DBS is also expanding its offerings and can use a few extra hands. Here’s how you can help:
• Production Crew: "What the Dog Doing" is back and is under new management. This year, "What the Dog Doing" will be talk-show style and is looking for a crew interested in joining. If you have any ideas for the entertainment side of DBS, you can contact our Entertainment Director Seth.Coughlin@drake.edu to get started.
• News Packages: If you think you’re ready to handle a remote from a crime scene, maybe it’s time to join the DBS News Team. If you have any ideas for news-style packages you can reach out to our New Director Sadie.Jones@drake.edu.
• Radio Hosts: If you are interested in making everyone listen to your favorite dwarf metal bands, there are still spots open in DBS’s radio schedule. Don't worry if you don't know how to use the equipment. DBS Programming Director Reese Shannan will teach you. Anyone interested can contact Shannan at Reese.Shannan@drake.edu for more information.
• Sports Junkies: DBS always has opportunities to work at various sporting events. If you want to learn about more opportunities for any sporting events, you can contact DBS Sports Director Emmett.McMenamy@drake.edu for more information.
• Podcasters: If you are interested in learning how to start your own podcast, DBS Marketing Director and "In Case You Missed It" host Bryson Rea can help you. Email him at Bryson.Rea@drake.edu for more information. Also, check out "In Case You Missed It" on Spotify.
Internships, Fellowships, and More
• Business Insider is looking for a Life Editorial Fellow. The six-month position begins in January. You’ll work remotely writing content for several of Business Insider’s brands and partners. You’ll be paid $20 an hour and get a chance to work directly with BI’s senior editors and staff. Get more info and apply here. Interested in other Business Insider gigs? Check out this list which includes a Special Projects fellowship and a Graphic Design fellowship.
• The Minneapolis Star Tribune is on the hunt for summer interns. There are multiple positions available, from photo/video gigs to food and culture internships. You can see the complete list here. The positions pay $850 a week, and you’ll be on the job for ten weeks. You’ll need to be in Minneapolis or St. Paul for the summer. Applications are due by Nov. 1. You can apply from the paper’s LinkedIn site.
• The McClatchy 2025 Summer Internship Program has positions available at its 30 news outlets across the country. The 10-week positions are paid variable hourly wages depending on the market. You can check general information about the internship program here, and you can see the complete list of positions here. Applications are due by Dec. 31, though considering the volume of applicants for these spots you might want to submit your materials sooner than later.
• The Dallas Morning News wants a full-time summer intern for 2025. You’ll be paid $18 an hour for 40 hours a week for 10 to 12 weeks of work. You’ll have to be in Dallas, of course, and it’s highly recommended you have a car to help you get around. Applications are due by Nov. 1. You can apply here.
• Be one of the first to apply for the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation summer 2025 communications internship. You’ll work on the non-profit’s magazine, help with its website, and maybe even end up working its RAGBRAI booth (though be forewarned, you may see Prof. Inman in spandex; sorry). Pay is $15 an hour. You’ll work full-time. Applications aren’t due until Feb. 3, you can get a jump on it now here.
• American Public Media, the organization behind Marketplace and great podcasts like “How We Survive,” “This is Uncomfortable,” and “Don’t Ask Tig,” is looking for a spring Marketplace podcast intern. You’ll need to work hybrid in either Washington D.C., Los Angeles, or New York, but you will be working full-time and be paid $20 an hour. Don’t want to move? You can apply for the spring full-time Audio internship, which is fully remote. There’s also a remote Marketplace Digital internship, a Marketplace D.C. Bureau internship, and multiple St. Paul-based positions in brand solutions, radio reporting, and media production. All positions run from Jan. 6 – Jun 6. While there is no application deadline, they want positions filled by Dec. 6. Best to get your applications in sooner rather than later.
• Bloomberg News is also hunting for its summer 2025 interns. The company has positions in New York, Washington D.C., and Los Angeles available. You’ll work 40 hours a week for 10 weeks. You’ll work with a variety of teams. Pay is $20-$25 an hour. For more details, click here.
• Reuters has also started to roll out its summer 2025 positions. While it’s posted several tech positions and a sales internship, rumor has it that news positions will pop up soon. Keep an eye on this list.
• Farm Bureau Financial Services wants to help you plan next summer’s activities. They’re already looking for a 2025-2026 digital marketing intern. You’ll work full-time during the summer and 10-15 hours during the 2025-26 school year. You’ll be paid $16 an hour to create content for both the Farm Bureau’s social channels and its website. For more details, email employment@fbfs.com. To apply, click here.
• The Cato Institute wants a spring books intern to work in D.C. You’ll be onsite Jan. 28-Apriil 18 helping with upcoming book projects from the think tank. Pay is $17.50 an hour. Get more info here.
Got Some Tasty Treats?
Do you have some essential info or are you as excited about the return of Urban Plains (now even on LinkedIn!) as JMM? If so, then let JMM know by sending that juicy news on over to jeff.inman@drake.edu. JMM will treat it like sophomore Strat Comm and Graphic Design major Eve Loehrer’s Best of SNO award for her story “VP Pick Tim Walz Energizes Minnesotan Democrats at Drake” and tell everyone about it.
Finally, crisis communications at its best!