This project is a continuation of CNTI\u2019s Defining News Initiative<\/a> which seeks to understand how journalism is defined today. Technology, social media and AI have significantly influenced how journalism is defined which impacts its role in democracy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over the last few decades, the widespread adoption and use of new communications technology have rapidly reshaped global information ecosystems. For journalists and news organizations, these changes have both empowered their work and presented new challenges. These technological and social changes have given the public many more options, disrupting how news outlets have historically interacted with them. Concurrently, governments around the world are increasingly impinging on press freedom<\/a> and weaponizing the law<\/a> against journalists, while questions about revenue models and digital content valuation<\/a> remain unresolved. Most recently, the convenience and expediency of AI1<\/a><\/sup> tools help individuals and teams produce more content \u2014 but these tools are resource-intensive and prone to inaccuracy, and the opacity of their algorithms can leave journalists unsure about how their own work is being repurposed. While these technologies can be harnessed to support the work of journalism, they also raise a host of ethical and legal questions<\/a> that threaten the field. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Access to information is not just important for its own sake; it makes democracy<\/a> possible. In 2024, the United Nations outlined Global Principles for Information Integrity<\/a> in response to growing challenges around misinformation, disinformation and hate speech. These principles highlight the importance of societal trust and resilience; healthy incentives; public empowerment; independent, free and pluralistic media; and transportation and research. Multiple actors, such as technology companies, advertisers, news media and journalists, civil society organizations, states and political actors, and the UN play a key role in upholding the resiliency of the information ecosystem and their good faith efforts are essential to the public\u2019s ability to access information. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Building on the Defining News Initiative, CNTI conducted a survey of journalists to explore<\/p>\n\n\n\n Importantly, respondents to CNTI\u2019s study come from a global mix of journalists that provide an international perspective to how journalists are navigating, understanding and defining their rapidly changing industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Surveys are a snapshot of what people think at a particular moment in time. These data were collected between October 14, 2024 and December 1, 2024, which means they highlight the perspective of journalists around the world during that time frame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n CNTI partnered with journalism organizations in multiple continents. The questionnaire was crafted with input from the partner organizations who knew the current situations and challenges of their members across various country contexts. These partner organizations also shared the survey with their membership:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The survey was also shared through several journalism email groups and Slack spaces, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Social media platforms have offered new opportunities to meet the public where they are, but social media has also decoupled distribution from news outlets\u2019 function as a clearinghouse for vetted and verified information. It has never been easier for journalists to have meaningful exchanges with their audiences; however, these same channels leave journalists on the receiving end of continuous legal threats<\/a> and harassment<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
How we recruited participants<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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