A new study will examine the challenges facing public-interest journalism and democracy amid the increasing use of artificial intelligence in news production and concerns about declining numbers of professional journalists in Australia. The initiative is led by former News Corp executive Campbell Reid and former editor of The Sydney Morning Herald Lisa Davies. It forms part of the Democracy Counts campaign, which includes support from 65 organisations such as Digital Rights Watch, the Local and Independent News Association, and the Alliance for Journalists’ Freedom.
The project aims to address the threats of misinformation and disinformation, particularly as news consumption habits shift and regional and rural areas face growing "news deserts." Democracy Counts campaign director Tom Mooney acknowledged that the media sector is not opposed to new technologies like AI but emphasized the risks for newsrooms that are often under-resourced. He noted that while AI can offer opportunities to uncover stories from data or enhance productivity, it also challenges traditional business models and audience trust.
Data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics indicates a nearly 20 percent decline in the number of journalists nationwide over the past two decades. Reid, who has a 50-year career in journalism including leadership roles at The Australian and The Daily Telegraph, expressed optimism about the project’s potential to explore issues confronting both journalism and democracy. Davies highlighted the importance of the forthcoming report in guiding policymakers and media organizations on sustaining public-interest journalism today and in the future.
Public trust in traditional news outlets remains significantly higher than in AI-generated content, according to findings from Deloitte’s upcoming 15th annual Media & Entertainment Consumer Insights report. The survey of over 2,000 Australians shows that 79 percent of respondents find national news publishers at least moderately trustworthy, while 78 percent express similar trust in independent or regional outlets. In contrast, only 38 percent trust AI-generated news.
Peter Corbett, Deloitte’s national telecommunications, media, and technology industry lead, said that although AI is integrated into many aspects of Australians’ lives, it has not eroded the value placed on trusted journalism. He emphasized that audiences seek transparency regarding the origins of information and prefer trusted sources, underscoring a “trust premium” for traditional news publishers.
The report also revealed a generational divide in attitudes toward AI-generated news. Nearly half of Generation Z respondents (born 1997–2012) regard AI-produced news as at least moderately trustworthy, compared with just 21 percent of Baby Boomers (aged 62–80). Despite this difference, trust levels in national news outlets remain nearly identical across generations.
Concerns about the authenticity of online content are widespread: 75 percent of Australians say AI complicates the ability to discern what is real, 84 percent support legal requirements for platforms and publishers to disclose AI-produced journalism, and 71 percent would stop using platforms that fail to clearly label AI use.
Additional findings point to increased social media engagement, with average weekly usage rising by 30 minutes to nearly six hours, and greater audio consumption across all age groups. Women tend to spend more time on social media than men, and households have slightly reduced their overall spending on digital entertainment subscriptions while increasing the average number of subscriptions.
The study’s results are expected to inform future strategies for balancing the integration of AI technologies with the maintenance of journalistic standards and public trust essential to democratic processes.