Research Lunch: Integrating AI in Local Newsrooms

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We would like to invite you to the upcoming Research Lunch organized by the Network Institute. Constanza Gajardo will present her research on Integrating AI in Local Newsrooms: Towards a global comparative approach to strategies, challenges, and insights. 

Constanza Gajardo holds a PhD in Humanities from the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, a Master’s degree in Communication, and a journalism degree from the University of Concepción, Chile. She is currently an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Communication at the University of Concepción.

Constanza Gajardo’s research project on “Information Needs of Local Audiences: Concepción and La Serena,” funded by the Fund for Studies on Pluralism in the National Information System (ANID), focuses on audiences, news experiences, journalism, and democracy, with an emphasis on understanding how interactions between audiences and media can enhance the media’s social and democratic functions.

This lunch is meant to discuss the challenges local news organizations are facing in sustanining community engagement and fullfilling their roles, as media shifts to digital platforms.

During this Research Lunch, we will explore several main research questions:

  • Given these contrasting perspectives, what are the primary challenges and opportunities for local news organizations in both the Global North and Global South when adopting AI technologies?
  • How do regional differences in resources, infrastructure, and cultural contexts affect the effective and ethical use of AI in local journalism?

We will discuss the primary challenges and opportunities for local news organizations in different regions and how regional differences affect the ethical use of AI in journalism. We are looking forward to meeting you and sharing our visions on this impactful topic.