By now most of us have heard about the AI platform, ChatGPT and many of us have even experimented with it. The content below is the result of the prompt: “What are some of the challenges faced by journalists early in their careers?” We want to know what’s missing, what’s inaccurate or what surprises or interests you about this experiment. Read on!
Journalism is a challenging and dynamic field that requires a high level of commitment, dedication, and skill. Early-career journalists often face a range of challenges as they establish themselves in the profession. Some of the most common challenges faced by journalists early in their careers include:
- Lack of experience: Early-career journalists often have limited experience in the industry, which can make it challenging to secure a job or build a portfolio of work. Many employers look for candidates with prior experience, which can make it difficult for new journalists to break into the field.
- Low pay: Entry-level journalism jobs often pay relatively low salaries, which can be a significant challenge for new journalists who are trying to make ends meet. Some journalists may need to take on additional jobs or work long hours to support themselves while they build their careers.
- Finding sources: Early-career journalists may struggle to build relationships with sources, which can make it challenging to find and report on news stories. Building a network of sources takes time, effort, and persistence.
- Meeting deadlines: Journalists often work under tight deadlines, which can be especially challenging for those who are new to the profession. Meeting deadlines requires strong time management skills and the ability to work quickly and efficiently under pressure.
- Balancing objectivity and advocacy: Journalists are expected to maintain objectivity and impartiality in their reporting, but they may also be passionate about certain issues or causes. Balancing these competing interests can be difficult, particularly for early-career journalists who are still developing their professional identities.
- Dealing with criticism: Journalists are often subject to criticism and even attacks from those who disagree with their reporting. Early-career journalists may struggle to handle this criticism, particularly if it is directed at them personally.
- Adapting to new technologies: Journalism is a constantly evolving field, and new technologies are constantly being developed that can change the way journalists work. Early-career journalists must be adaptable and willing to learn new technologies and techniques as they emerge.
Overall, early-career journalists face a range of challenges as they establish themselves in the profession. Overcoming these challenges requires dedication, hard work, and a willingness to learn and adapt to new situations and environments.
We have to admit that much of the content rings true for us. However, as a journalist and a researcher, what concerns me is the lack of reliable sourcing. You can use create a prompt that includes citations, but it’s not unusual to find that the cited articles do not exist and the links go nowhere (404). Verification is essential to our work and AI may work well as a starting point for ideas we want to explore, but the work should not stop there.
What do you think?
