On this World Press Freedom Day, the Barbados Association of Journalists and Media Workers (BARJAM) urges those on the frontline in this new information age to embrace the advantages that come with all that artificial intelligence (AI) has to offer, while simultaneously upholding the foundational principles of journalism.

The year’s theme: ‘Reporting in the Brave New World: The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Press Freedom and the Media’ comes at a time when the look of the newsroom has changed significantly. The pace of information and news has quickened to the point where sadly in some cases quality has been sacrificed at the altar of immediacy.

Research crucial for investigative reporting that once would have taken days to gather and present can now be done in some cases in just a few minutes, while story and feature writing can now be fast-tracked with a simple command.

Notwithstanding these advancements, the reality is that for every advantage and opportunity that AI affords the fourth estate, it also presents some inherent risks and challenges. Misinformation, disinformation and fake news are perhaps now more rampant than at any other time in our lives.

It therefore requires journalists in this new environment to be more vigilant than ever when engaging in fact-checking and research, since AI essentially uses all information available in the open digital space to generate its content – both the good and the bad, the true and the untrue. We ask that all media workers continue to push their individual creativity and instincts, and not to become overly reliant on the technology to the point where it diminishes or eliminates original thought and concepts.

As media owners, editors, journalists, videographers and media workers in general continue to navigate this new space, we urge all of you to remain committed to truth and accuracy in this increasingly dynamic, fast-paced and demanding environment.

For all of the changes to the media landscape over the past decade, and the entry of those who purport to also be carriers and providers of news and “citizen journalists”, traditional media entities must continue to demonstrate that truth, accuracy and reliability will be the key factors that ultimately separate them from the noisy crowd. ALSO NOTE BARJAM SAID NOTHING ON “EMOTIONAL DISTRESS“ ASPECT OF COMPUTER MISUSE RAMRODDED BY ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFFICE

In closing, BARJAM also uses this opportunity to salute the lifelong contribution of three journalistic veterans who recently retired – Mike King and Maria Bradshaw of the Nation and Stetson Babb of Starcom Network. We thank you for your invaluable contribution to the profession, wish you the very best in retirement and hope that you will continue to impart your knowledge and experience to the next generation of entrants to the fourth estate.