The news Thursday, Sept. 10, that 13 skilled journalists in Lexington were laid off was heart-breaking but also frightening.
The suggestion that AI can replace reporters who are trained to observe, interpret and ask the tough questions is unrealistic. AI is a tool and a resource, but it cannot replace a human reporter.
The real danger here is the declining number of journalists in the field. It is not just newspapers. We have witnessed veteran broadcast journalists who have been sidelined as TV goes through its own shakeout.
So, what are we losing? What is the real value of journalism?
- Journalism gives citizens the facts they need to make informed decisions. This information is about our schools, taxes, governments, businesses, medicine, and it is information that shapes our lives. A skilled journalist gathers the information, verifies and presents it in in a way that can be understood.
- Journalists hold government entities accountable. The most important responsibility of a journalist and media company is to ask the tough question — the question an elected official may not want to answer. This skill takes courage and patience as it has become common for officials to deflect attention by insulting or criticizing the reporter rather than answer the question.
- Journalism is a historical record. Births, deaths, milestones, new businesses and tragedies are all part of a community’s record. Much of the history we know of our past is because of the journalists who have gone before us.
- Local journalists tell stories that would otherwise be untold. Find any local media, be it a newspaper or a TV station, and you’ll find stories the national media are not covering.
- Journalism and local media connect communities in a way no other entity can do.
- We have more information at our fingertips than ever before. In the age of social media, blogs, rumors and artificial intelligence, the ability to separate misinformation has gotten more and more difficult. Local journalists are the filter who report the stories through verification, attribution and with accountability.
- Journalism gives people a voice. Their stories are not just about those holding elected office or the powerful. Stories of teachers, farmers, small-business owners, young people and veterans fill the pages of good community newspapers.
- Journalism is part of the bedrock of democracy. People participate in their communities when they understand the issues. Coverage of public meetings, local debates and elections provides the information people find necessary for participation.
- Journalists serve as witnesses. Major events are documented by journalists who provide information about what happened and how the community responded. This role is especially important during emergencies and disasters.
- Journalists create accountability. Good journalists acknowledge mistakes, correct the record and explain how they obtain information. This transparency builds trust.
- The value of a journalist is in their presence. Whether it is at a city council meeting, a sporting event, or community event, the actual presence of a journalist cannot be reproduced. Each time they build relationships and knowledge of the community they serve.
A good journalist is a good journalist because they know the community.
Mike Scogin is the president/publisher of the Georgetown News-Graphic and also the president of the Kentucky Press Association.
