August 15, 2024

Why You Shouldn't Fear TV News Written By AI

By Rajay Kumar, CTO, SVMMARY Broadcast Solutions

Imagine a rogue AI, unchecked and unsupervised, churning out clunky, error-ridden news stories designed to manipulate the masses. The robot writes without understanding, producing content that serves its own cold, calculated agenda - or worse, the agenda of someone behind the scenes pulling the strings. It's a fear straight out of a sci-fi nightmare, and it's precisely what many people envision when they hear about AI-written news.

But let me be clear - this is not the future we're building. Not by a long shot.

Let's start with a reality check on the state of modern newsrooms. Over the past two decades, the hours dedicated to TV news programming have nearly doubled, yet newsroom staffing has stayed flat. Journalists are stretched to the breaking point, handling not only broadcasts but also an endless stream of online content - articles, videos, social media posts, you name it. When journalists are overwhelmed, something's got to give, and too often, it's the quality of the reporting.


This leads to a larger problem: public trust in news media is at an all-time low. Gallup recently reported that 39% of Americans have no confidence at all in the news media - a record high. This growing distrust isn't just about a few bad actors or sensational headlines; it's about the sheer strain on newsrooms to keep up with the demand for content. When journalists are overworked and under-resourced, mistakes happen, depth is sacrificed, and the connection with the audience frays.

Then there's burnout. It's real, it's rampant, and it's getting worse. A recent RTDNA and Syracuse University survey highlights the result of journalists' crushing workload today, with more than two-thirds of news directors saying staff burnout is rising. Newsrooms are understaffed, journalists are overworked, and as a result, the industry is losing some of its best and brightest talent. When journalists are forced to rush through their work to keep up, the integrity of the news suffers.

So, where does AI fit into all this? The answer isn't in replacing journalists but in supporting them. Here's where we can shift the conversation from fear to opportunity.

Introducing AI into the newsroom isn't about handing over control to machines. It's about freeing up journalists to do what they do best - investigative reporting, crafting compelling stories, and connecting with their audience. Imagine having a tool that handles the routine, time-consuming tasks - like summarizing wire copy and drafting initial scripts - so journalists can focus on the more profound, critical work.

This is where SVMMARY comes in. Our AI isn't designed to replace journalists but to empower them. And this isn't just theory - it's been tested. For the past year, SVMMARY has been used in a pilot program in a top-market TV newsroom, and the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Producers have been able to write entire shows more efficiently and, perhaps most importantly, enjoy doing it again. Put another way, we're mixing the paints, setting up the easels, and preparing the canvas so the human can focus on the fun, creative stuff.

What sets SVMMARY apart is the experience and insight behind it. Multiple TV news producers with decades of experience in top markets have played a crucial role in shaping the tool, ensuring it meets the real needs of those on the front lines of news production. By reducing the workload, SVMMARY allows journalists to reclaim their time and reduce the risk of burnout. And crucially, everything our AI produces is meant to be reviewed and refined by human hands. The final product is always shaped by human insight and creativity.

In the hands of skilled journalists, AI is a powerful assistant, not a replacement. By supporting newsrooms with tools like SVMMARY, we can help restore the quality of news content, which is key to rebuilding public trust.

So, if you're worried about AI taking over the newsroom, don't be. Think of it as a way to elevate journalism, not diminish it. The future of news isn't about AI versus humans - it's about AI working with humans to create something better.

---

Rajay Kumar, CTO of SVMMARY Broadcast Solutions, is a leading AI expert with over a decade of experience turning advanced technology into practical solutions. Based in Southern California, he develops AI tools that revolutionize news content creation, helping journalists quickly produce high-quality scripts. Rajay holds a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering from USC and degrees from MIT, with research expertise in carbon nanotubes and AI models. A veteran of tech startups, his innovations include a patent acquired by Meta and the popular solo-developed Kanji Drop educational software with over 500,000 installs.