Medijske Studije (Mar 2021)

The Role of New Technologies in Combatting Fake News –Experiences and Challenges of Croatian Media Organisations

  • Tanja Grmuša,
  • Lordan Prelog

DOI
https://doi.org/10.20901/ms.11.22.4
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11, no. 22
pp. 62 – 80

Abstract

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Convergence of the media accompanied by the development of new technologies is‏ intended to ensure that received information is used on all the channels of a media organization. In this‏ sense, an integrated newsroom is a prerequisite for this mode of operation. Such an approach entails‏ the collaboration of departments that used to be separate not long ago, technology and the personnel‏ that have to be educated and trained in a digital environment. It is a great challenge for professional‏ journalistic standards due to the imperative of speed, as well as due to a new, different way in which‏ the sources communicate with the media. On the other hand, the altered role of audiences made‏ by active mass communication creators requires continuous checking of the ethics of channels and‏ communicators, all with the aim of strengthening the credibility of the media that are losing consumer‏ confidence in comparison to social networks. Furthermore, the depth of the communication crisis,‏ culminating in the inflation of fake news, has been recognized by the European Commission, which‏ emphasizes the importance of self-regulation. At the same time, technology giants and platforms are‏ trying to contribute to the development of automated (fact-check) systems driven by artificial intelligence,‏ which should make it easier for journalists, editors, as well as for users to identify socially harmful forms‏ of communication. The aim of this paper is to explore the experiences of Croatian journalists working in‏ integrated newsrooms, as well as their relationship to lifelong education and professional standards in‏ the digital age, seriously challenged by fake news. Moreover, the goal of this paper is to examine the use of‏ artificial intelligence in verifying information and combatting disinformation.

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