Category: Uncategorized

Artificial intelligences, is defined by IBM as, ”Artificial intelligence, or AI, is technology that enables computers and machines to simulate human intelligence and problem-solving capabilities”. The once popular idea used in many science fiction novels and films, like “Blade runner” and “Neuromancer”, has now become the most talked about and widely debated subject when it comes to the advancement of technology moving forward.

This blog looks to analyze the effects ethically Artificial Intelligence can cause to the landscape of communications and media.

Artificial Intelligence has been around since the dawn of computers, and as scientist develop more technology that changes the framework of media, A.I. becomes a lot more functional and intelligent. Only have way in the year of 2024, A.I. has already become impactful, playing a huge part in the pop culture event which was the Kendrick Lamar/ Drake beef, and has played a part in a plethora of social media trends, etc.

The ethical issue that A.I. creates that has been widely discussed as of recently is it’s effect on media. While A.I. is proving to be very useful and a tool that all types of corporations are beginning to implement into their strategies, the question that many are beginning to ask is as A.I. advances what happens to original Human creativity when it comes to media?

With the advancement of technology comes the advancement in A.I.’s ability to produce fake information, and this is discussed in numerous amounts of academic journals. For example, according to an article titled, ”Fanning the flames of artificial intelligence in the media: beyond efficiency and productivity gains”, Artificial Intelligence poses a threat to media as it has the ability to create very sophisticated deep fakes that can cause mass hysteria .

Humans have emotions and feelings, we understand that the world can change their thoughts and opinions in a heartbeat. Therefore, with A.I. not being having the capability in its design to decipher that change on its own, how can companies trust the technology to help with advertising or marketing.

In an academic Journal titled “The Effect of Artificial Intelligence Supported Advertising Films on Students: Cola-Cola Masterpiece Commercial Movie Example”, The authors talk about the relationship between advertisement and A.I., as well as the fact that A.I. can’t mimic human emotion when its said, “AI systems are designed for a specific purpose, they can only fulfill that purpose” (Çavuş & Yılmaz 3).

A.I. lack of understanding of human emotion brings a strong ethical issue that will always be a critique of A.I. until technology is advanced enough to be able to actually make media that feels man made.

In an articled titled, “THE IMPACT OF BRAND-VOICE INTEGRATION AND ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING”, the authors talk about how A.I. can be very useful in ,marketing as it provides, “AI tools help marketers create better products, deliver more relevant advertising, and understand patterns of audience data” (Priyanga, 2023).

However, again an issue that all users of AI will run into is the simple fact that A.I. doesn’t have the capability of a human so with that brings an issue of the technology potentially being faulty and overall its use being limited.

For example, in the article it states that, “In conclusion, although Chat GPT represents a promising tool for content generation and brand voice, its successful use requires careful scrutiny, effective collaboration with subject matter experts, and consideration of the appropriate approach to implementing AI in the context of building and maintaining an authentic and effective brand voice” (Murár, Kubovics, Jurišová 12)

The article points out how advertisment ambassadors have used the technology to conduct writings for social media campaigns, but even with A.I. being useful their still needs to be human observation done when using A.I. “Using Chat GPT often only achieves an initial draft of the paper, which requires editing and proofreading by experienced practitioners”(Murár,Kubovics,Jurišová 12). “GPT chat, although driven by advanced technologies, still depends on the availability of extensive and representative data to better understand and create content in line with the characteristics of a given brand” (Murár,Kubovics,Jurišová 12). This further proving that A.I. isn’t fully reliable yet.

Overall, the technology is the future, Whether we like it or not Artificial Intelligence is here to stay, it’s gonna continue to be used, especially as many companies are looking at the technology as a cheaper alternative to the traditional ways of marketing.

Companies will try anything to make their lives easier and A.I.has the potential of giving them the same success and opportunities that they had before without needing to hire a whole marketing team to do it.

In addition, A.I. used in the wrong hands can lead to misinformation being spread rapidly. There are numerous examples of situations that have happened recently where

But until the technology is perfected, the risks of A.I. potentially putting out wrong messaging and missing the mark on what consumers want is very high and potentially dangerous.

Thank You,

Nicholas Lenon

References:

Murár, P., Kubovics, M., & Jurišová, V. (2024). The impact of brand-voice integration and artificial intelligence on social media marketing. Communication Today, 50–63. https://doi.org/10.34135/communicationtoday.2024.vol.15.no.1.4 

Çavuş, S., & Yılmaz, M. (Eds.). (2024). The Effect of Artificial Intelligence Supported Advertising Films on Students: Cola-Cola Masterpiece Commercial Movie Example. TOJET: The Turkish Online Journal of Educational Technology , 23(1), 153–162. 

What will happen to marketing in the age of ai?: Jessica Apotheker: Ted. YouTube. (2023, December 12). https://youtu.be/3MwMII8n1qM?si=2P_uNJONUOkmJ2AG 

Codina, L., Ufarte-Ruiz, M.-J., & Borden, S.-L. (2024). Introduction. fanning the flames of artificial intelligence in the media: Beyond Efficiency and Productivity gains. Communication & Society, 221–225. https://doi.org/10.15581/003.37.2.221-225 

What is Artificial Intelligence (AI)?. IBM. (2023, August 25). https://www.ibm.com/topics/artificial-intelligence 

Written By: Nate Frontiero

(Biden speaking at a press conference last week abc7ny.com/post/joe-biden-press-conference-live-president-deliver-remarks/14895918/)

As the 2024 election draws near, the two candidates are constantly in the news. Both Joe Biden and Donald Trump have all of the public eye on them. Anything that they say or do is going to be heavily examined and scrutinized. America has many major news networks, and their coverage and opinion of Biden often depends on if their network is left or right wing. This has caused some bias from these networks on their Biden coverage.

Media bias is defined as “The tendency of news media to report in a way that reinforces a viewpoint, worldview, preference, political ideology, corporate or financial interests, moral framework, or policy inclination, instead of reporting in an objective way.” (Mastrine, 2022) We see this often from networks. Many times, these networks do not even try to hide this bias.

For example, NBC and their media coverage is often seen as favoring the democrats and the left. After an appearance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”, it was said that Fallon “did his job for Biden, which was to offer the president a friendly national platform without challenging him in any capacity.” (Concha, 2021) Fallon even said to Biden “You gotta keep your head down and keep doing the right thing, while adding that he’s “bringing class back to the presidency.”(Concha, 2021) Additionally, CNN reports that liberals “are angry that the NY times is biased towards Trump and harsh on Biden.” (Hays, 2024) However, this report came from a Fox News article.

(President Biden filming a virtual interview with Jimmy Fallon for his night show .flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/51898317734)

This just goes to show some of the glaring bias that has been pointed out in our media landscape. Fox news writing an article that says CNN claims liberals are upset with NY times media coverage of Biden shows you that not only does CNN have a left wing bias, but that Fox also has a bias towards the right wing. It is also clearly evident with the way that these and other networks structure their articles and content that there is a clear bias.

A perfect example of this is the Ukraine situation. Fox is often critical of Biden for giving them aid; even going as far as having a disgruntled farmer on the show who says it is a disgrace Ukraine gets money from America as “we are facing extinction.” (Miller, 2024) On the other hand, CNN often voices their pleasure with Biden on this topic, even titling an article “Biden signs foreign aid bill providing crucial military assistance to Ukraine.” (Williams et al., 2024) 

Another good example to look at would be the border crisis. A CNN article was titled “Biden seizes on tougher border measures as he tries to fend off Trump attacks”. (Alvarez, 2024) Another NBC article was titled “Senate Republicans block Biden security bill as they campaign on border chaos.” (Kapur & Santaliz, 2024) These are pro Biden, as opposed to Fox News saying on the SAME topic that “Biden enforced over 60 executive orders to make the border crisis worse”, (Co, 2024) and the NY post saying  “Biden alone owns the border crisis — and the chaos it’s caused.” (Post, 2024)

It is apparent that Biden gets different coverage from different networks on the same issue. It is also clear that media bias is a real thing. Whether you are a network that is catering to the left-wing or the right wing, you are going to write what fits into your audience. There are many ways to determine which network will give you what kind of content. From there, you can make an informed decision for yourself to determine where you get your news on politics and Biden. 

(A chart outlining the different networks and the extent of their media bias www.allsides.com/media-bias)

The image above shows each major network and how biased they are in their coverage. Dark blue L means they are left wing, light blue L means that they only lean left. C is center or neutral and the dark red r means right wing, while the light red r means that they only lean right.

I would say that news networks show their bias either through excessive praise or excessive slander. I also think that the way they title certain news articles and TV segments also heavily tie into this. They are often time very dramatic, with words and phrases meant to rile up a certain fan base and add emphasis to the point they want to get across. It becomes an overall theme in all of their content and bodies of work. This is something you should always be aware of when consuming media.

In conclusion, media bias is something that we see around the world on every topic. However, it seems worse when it comes to the political aspect of the media and journalism world. It is safe to say that Joe Biden is hoping that favorable media coverage from left wing networks will give him a much needed boost at the polls this coming November. 

Works Cited

Alvarez, P. (2024, January 27). Biden seizes on tougher border measures as he tries to fend off Trump attacks | CNN politics. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/27/politics/biden-border-shut-down-us-mexico-immigration/index.html 

Board, P. E. (2024a, February 17). Biden alone owns the border crisis – and the chaos it’s caused. New York Post. https://nypost.com/2024/02/17/us-news/biden-alone-owns-the-border-crisis-and-the-chaos-its-caused/ 

Co, V. (2024, May 8). Biden enforced over 60 executive orders to make the border crisis worse: Rep. young Kim: Fox Business Video. Fox Business. https://www.foxbusiness.com/video/6352539972112 

Hays, G. (2024, March 8). CNN reports Liberals “angry” that NY Times is biased towards Trump, harsh on Biden: “shameful.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-reports-liberals-angry-ny-times-biased-trump-harsh-biden-shameful 

Joe Concha, O. C. (2021b, December 12). Amid multiple crises, Biden runs to NBC’s safe space with Jimmy Fallon. The Hill. https://thehill.com/opinion/white-house/585465-amid-multiple-crises-biden-runs-to-nbcs-safe-space-with-jimmy-fallon/ 

Julie Mastrine media bias rating. AllSides. (2024, February 8). https://www.allsides.com/news-source/julie-mastrine-media-bias 

Kapur, S., & Santaliz, K. (2024, May 23). Senate Republicans block border security bill as they campaign on Border Chaos. NBCNews.com. https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/senate-republicans-block-border-security-bill-campaign-border-chaos-rcna153607 

Miller, A. M. (2024, February 18). 4th gen farmer blasts biden admin for sending billions to Ukraine as US farmers suffer: “facing extinction.” Fox News. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/4th-gen-farmer-blasts-biden-admin-for-sending-billions-to-ukraine-as-u-s-farmers-suffer-facing-extinction 

Williams, M., Saenz, A., & Liptak, K. (2024, April 30). Biden signs foreign aid Bill providing crucial military assistance to Ukraine | CNN politics. CNN. https://www.cnn.com/2024/04/24/politics/biden-signs-foreign-aid-bill/index.html 

Bias in the news is not a new concept for media moguls. Since the inception of media and its massive use in the technological era more than ever, bias has affected numerous groups. Racial bias being one of the top problems in the media. Looking at the coverage of crime in the media particularly, we can see the bias the media shows against particular races.

Their are thousands even millions of examples you could choose to look at for racial bias in media. “Mugshots were used in coverage of 45% of cases involving Black people accused of crimes compared to only 8% of cases involving white defendants”.(Equal Justice Initiative)

Looking at and comparing two different court cases, the Ahmaud Arbery murder by the Mcmichael family(https://www.npr.org/2021/11/24/1058240388/ahmaud-arbery-murder-trial-verdict-travis-greg-mcmichael) and the Tessa Majors murder by Rashaun Weaver(https://abc7ny.com/tessa-majors-rashaun-weaver-barnard-student-murder-sentencing/11487509/) . Both these cases were heinous crimes in which both lives did not deserve to be lost.

In each case the bias reporting on each was beyond apparent. In the case of the McMichaels, they were shown in suits versus Weaver who was shown in handcuffs in almost every news articles. The disparity between each is shown in almost every article and can be seen by just a simple search of each of the cases.

A study also looked at numerous things such as language use, imagery, framing of victim among many other topics.(Study by GSG 2021) An interesting finding was that, “Media coverage was 50% more likely to refer to white defendants by name as compared to Black defendants.” (EQI 2021) This related directly to the cases looked at as Tessa Majors was named more than her assailant Rashaun Weaver whereas the McMichaels were named much more often and at the top of articles more frequently than Ahmaud Arbery was.

In each of the articles linked you can find a victim impact statement for one of the cases, while the other expresses remorse there is no such statement. “This is a victim impact statement. The victim is Tess Majors. Tess Majors cannot say how being murdered impacted her because she is dead” is found at the end of the article written on the Rashaun Weaver murder. In the case of the McMichaels, Arbery is given no such tribute.

Language also played a major role in creating a narrative for each story. The McMichaels were praised in some articles for trying to “protect their community” and their lawyers even used that as an excuse for the crime. The Rashaun Weaver reports discussed more of the “anguish of losing a child” according to Tessa Majors parents. It was also mentioned that Weaver was said to be part of a “”symptom” of a broken system of repeated incarceration.” His father and other role models had been imprisoned.

Racial bias is an obvious problem in the media. Although it seems to have attention being brought to it and solutions are on the way, the issue still plagues many media outlets and reporters across the nation.

There were numerous instances of bias reporting on the George Floyd situation. Even for outlets like Fox News and CNN the bias could not escape them. “News outlets that are traditionally seen as politically conservative are notably more likely to use language about “looting” and “rioting” and less likely to mention racism and police brutality.” (Signal Ai 2020)

With racial bias still fragmenting the media, solutions have to come to solve the dicey problem. Do these solutions come from the reporters? The editors? The directors? The general public? Does it take standing up or is it an entire systematic change? Whatever it takes it has to come soon and become a massive turn for all of media.

Written by Michael DelloStritto

Written by: Anthony Russo

During ESPN’s Mother’s Day broadcast of the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, Red Sox rookie Triston Casas was asked about his deceased mother in front of a live audience. It is normal for professional athletes to be subject to questions from the media, it’s part of the job description. But there is a time and place for certain questions, and some that should never be asked at all. 

Since the 2017 season, ESPN has been conducting live in-game interviews during their broadcasts. In these interviews, “mic’d up” players are shown on a split screen with the game action on the other half of the monitor. To fans this is a way to see another side of their favorite players as they speak somewhat candidly in the heat of the game. These interviews have been quite popular for ESPN, leading to their continued usage. However, a problem arises when the questions asked by an ESPN broadcaster are too personal, as the player literally has nowhere to hide.

This is exactly what Triston Casas experienced on May 14th, 2023 when ESPN reporter Karl Ravech was conducting a live interview. In the top of the 3rd inning, Ravech asked Casas, “I know your mom passed away when you were young. What does Mother’s Day mean to you and your brother?” Not only is this a completely inappropriate question to ask an athlete, it had been asked while Casas was actively playing the sport on live television. Not to mention that it was Mother’s Day, a likely triggering day for a person who has lost their own mother. 

This is a complete ethical failure on ESPN’s part. Not only did they put a young athlete in a difficult position, they did so live in front of their entire audience. Such a miscalculation could genuinely affect the outcome of the sporting event itself. Had Casas not been able to impressively shake off the question in real time, he could have been mentally affected causing a potential error in his play. The job of a sports broadcaster should be to cover the sport and entertain the audience, while never having an impact on the outcome of the game itself.

The fact that Ravech asked this question at this or any time is utterly shocking. In an age where the mental health of an athlete is finally being treated with the respect and care it deserves, there is no space to put young athletes in potentially traumatic situations such as this. I believe this irregardless of Casas’s ability to control and answer his question. The truth is, Casas should simply not have been in that position in the first place, it is unacceptable.

Thankfully, Casas was composed enough to give an intelligent and optimistic answer to Ravech’s out of line question. When asked about his deceased mother, Casas said, “What happened was unfortunate to me, but I have so many mother figures in my life…Whether they have my last name or whether they don’t, I have so much support from everybody in and around my circle that I don’t even feel I missed out on anything.” At the very least, it seems he is at peace with this loss, and able to look on the brighter side of things. While this was certainly a lucky break for Ravech, it does not mean he should get a pass on such a blunder. 

Unfortunately, a lack of empathy in sports journalism is nothing new. At least in the instance of Casas and Ravesh, I am willing to give Ravesh the benefit of the doubt. While I cannot understand why he asked that question then and there, I do not believe there was any mallace behind him asking it. I cannot say that for every instance of sports journalism insensitivity. There are several occasions where reporters ask players questions with the hope of creating an amplified response.

An example of this happened just recently to NBA champion and all around good guy Giannis Antetokounmpo. Nicknamed “The Greek Freak” for his incredible basketball ability, Giannis had led his 2022/23 Milwaukee Bucks to the number 1 seed in the Eastern Conference. This was no surprise, as the Bucks were coming off their NBA championship victory from just two years prior. The surprise came when this top seeded Bucks team fell quickly to the Miami Heat, who were the lowest seed in the Eastern Conference.

While it is always a shock to see a 1 seed lose to the 8th seed team, the Miami Heat were no slouches. Their own ‘freak’ Jimmy Butler had led the Heat all the way to the Eastern Conference Finals in 2 of the last 3 years. But it seems that in sports no matter how well you play, there will always be media backlash for the losing team

Immediately following the Bucks’ Game 5 loss to the Heat on April 26, 2023, Giannis sat down in front of the media as he does after every game. That is when Eric Nehm, a reporter for The Athletic, asked Giannis if he viewed this season as a “failure”. This is yet another inconsiderate question asked at a sensitive time (minutes after his season ended). Not only is this insensitive, but it is clear that Nehm is hoping to receive something “newsworthy” as a reply. Will Giannis maybe: bash his teammates, trash talk the coach, blame the home crowd, or possibly even yell at the reporter for asking? All of these would make great headlines for Nehm, as these are the kind of responses that sports journalists dream of.

But like Casas, Giannis handled this egregious question with class and positivity. Giannis actually spoke for 2 full minutes in response to Nehm. There are a lot of great quotes to take from Giannis’s response such as, “it is not a failure, it’s steps to success” and, “there is no failure in sports…some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not.” Giannis was able to keep a hold of his temper despite appearing physically flustered by what he considered to be a “wrong” question asked by Nehm.

Giannis’s admirable response to this question goes to show why he is such a beloved figure in the sports world. That being said, he should not have been in a position where he needed to impress everyone with his level-headedness in the face of unethical/rude reporting. Athletes that are both good players and good people like Casas and Giannis should not be subjected to dealing with this level of negativity and disdain in order to play the games they love.

Mental health is extremely important for everyone, not just athletes. I am glad to see the importance of mental health is beginning to be accounted for in the sports world. Hopefully this can translate to the world of sports journalism as well. If it were up to me, I would require both Karl Ravech and Eric Nehm to attend sensitivity training courses in order to maintain their current positions. 

Written By: Kiera Foley

Throughout time there have been lawsuits in the music industry that have caused a lot of buzz but one case that has lasted over five years and may be one of the biggest cases is singer and songwriter Kesha’s legal fight against her old producer Dr. Luke.

In 2005 Kesha who was eighteen met Dr. Luke as she was trying to find her way in the music industry. Kesha has stated that at a party with Dr. Luke she believed she had been drugged and assaulted as she woke up the next morning in Dr. Lukes hotel room. She stated that at the time she did not want to be known for what happened and that she just wanted to “Sing and get her music out” . By 2006 she was then signed to Dr. Lukes label but has not released any music.

When looking at this case we can start to see a pattern of power roles being used. There are many cases in music where women are being held in music contracts that are viewed as predatory. For instance if you look at Doja Cat who is currently working with Dr. Luke there is a lot of speculation that she is in the same shoes as Kesha was. When looking at this case or any case there is a media ethics that you need to see. For instance in this case I think of the Confucius Golden Mean which says that moral virtue is the appropriate location between two extremes. Clearly in this case Dr. Luke, Sony and other record labels are morally and ethically wrong here. By forcing a young women to stay at a label that is abusing her.

Flash forward to 2012 Kesha is still signed under Dr. Lukes label and it is made clear that she has no creative say when it comes to her music. While this is major because every artist that is signed to a label should be making the creative decisions when it comes to their music they are putting out. It is known in the music industry that a lot of the times managers and producers will try to shape these artists into something that they may not agree with. In 2014 Kesha checked herself into a rehab facility to get help for her eating disorder that she says was caused by Dr. Luke encouraging her to loose weight. While she is in the facility it is said that she admits to doctors there that Luke has been physically, mentally and emotionally abusing and manipulating her for years.

Then on October 14th, 2014 Keshas lawsuit against Dr. Luke hits the press. In her lawsuit she requests to be let go and released from her record deal with Dr. Luke due to years of feeling suffocated and being at the hand of years of mental, physical and emotional abuse by Dr. Luke. Now when this hit headlines people had many different opinions about the case. To most they agreed that Kesha should be able to leave the record label after all the abuse she had endured for years. But to others she was under contract and she had to wait that out until moving to another label or getting new management. But if she waited out her contract with Dr. Luke she could either be wasting years of potential creating new music or even be forced to create new music under someone like Dr. Luke. That same day Keshas lawsuit hit headlines Dr. Luke also filed a lawsuit against Kesha and her mother for defamation.

While waiting for trial Sony who was Keshas parent label speaks out and says that they believe the entire reason Kesha is doing this is to try and renegotiate her contracts. Sony said this in regards to Kesha coming out and saying Sony knew all about Dr. Lukes abuse this entire time. Now not only is Sonys’ comment ignorant they are disregarding the years of abuse that Kesha had suffered at the hands of Dr. Luke that ended up with Kesha in rehab. This case at the time so far seemed like it was unethical and record labels and producers trying to save themselves and their money.

On February 19th of 2016 the New York Judge decides not to let Kesha leave Dr. Lukes record label. The judge stated that “There has been no showing of irreparable harm” and noted that Sony and Luke have allowed Kesha to record new music without the involvement of Dr. Luke. After the news had become public dozens of artists spoke out about how this is happening a lot more than you think in the music industry and that most people are not brave enough to speak up and go to court. Some of these artists include, Lady Gaga, Lorde, Miley Cyrus and Ariana Grande. They spoke up using the hashtag #FreeKesha as they posted on their social media accounts talking about how the case unfolded. They also talked about how unethical it is to send someone like Kesha back to a record label that had abused her for years. This case was and still is one of the biggest cases of an artist trying to free themselves from a record label that abused them and used them for money and music. Overall the ruling of this case and how things were handled in the media and by Sony were unethical.

Written by: Nick Penkala

During the 2021 Professional Golfer’s Association (PGA) Tour season a new golf league was created that at the time seemed to be out of thin air. LIV Golf League was created and backed by a Saudi Arabian investment group. LIV stands for the Roman numeral 54, which is the amount of golf holes they play during a tournament, compared to the PGA Tour who play 72. This is just one of a number of differences between the two tours. 

Famously, the PGA Tour is an individuals only tour. A golfer will go out with just him and his caddy to carry his bag and help him throughout his round. At the end of the round the only score that matters is the score that you put up that day. Tournaments are usually four rounds with a cut halfway through. The half that finished in the top half gets to move on to the weekend and play an additional two rounds. In the LIV Golf League, it is a team event. Every week the same teams compete against each other and the team with the best score after three days wins the week. 

(View of the 18th green at a LIV Golf event at the Centurion Club. Image credit Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters https://www.cnn.com/2022/06/10/sport/liv-golf-tournament-explainer-spt-intl/index.html)

On Tuesday, June 6th morning it was announced that the PGA Tour along with LIV Golf and the DP World Tour would be merging, now what exactly does this all mean? First things first, all three organizations will work to try and figure out the best way to go about things. This means that for example, players that have been banned from the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour because they went to play on LIV can potentially come back and play on both of these tours. Nobody knows the parameters of the situation, but I could see a way that everyone is allowed to play where they want. The biggest and most concerning part of the merger is that the Public Investment Fund (which is Saudi Arabian backed and owns LIV Golf) will be an investor in the PGA Tour. This becomes an issue to fans of the PGA Tour because of the type of history the Saudia Arabian culture has towards specific groups of people. 

       Tweet from PGA Tour pro Collin Morikawa the morning the PGA Tour/LIV merger was announced. (Image was taken off of Collin Morikawa’s twitter page)

The morning that the merger news was announced, a number of PGA Tour pros took to Twitter, commenting on the fact that they were not notified by anyone prior to the news breaking. Above is a tweet from Collin Morikawa who is one of the best players in the world and a key piece to the PGA Tour landscape. PGA pro Mackenize Hughes also took to Twitter that morning saying “Nothing like finding out through Twitter that we’re merging with a tour that we said we’d never do that with.” These are just two of the countless members of the Tour to voice their opinion on Tuesday after not being told anything by their organization. 

I think that for the PGA Tour there is a larger issue at hand here. Obviously, allowing an investment from a shady partner is not good, but then doing it and not telling any of your major stakeholders is a massive problem. It is still extremely early in the news cycle for this story, but I would not be surprised if some members refused to play because of this or sued the Tour because they are not happy about how they handled things. I think that the PGA Tour is completely in the wrong in this situation.

The players have every right to know what is going on, especially something of this magnitude.  Ethically it is incorrect for the Tour to not at least let people know there is a conversation going on. I think that the PGA Tour is going to get heat for a long time regarding how they handled this situation. I feel as though this is not the precedent they want to be setting.

By: Amelia Groothuis

Influencer marketing is a powerful tool that brands use to reach their target audience. By partnering with social media influencers, companies can engage with their followers and create a unique connection with their target market. However, there are responsibilities that come with influencer marketing, and mistakes can be made if these responsibilities are not taken seriously.

One of the biggest responsibilities of influencer marketing is transparency. Influencers must be transparent with their followers about their partnerships with brands. This means they should disclose when they are being paid to promote a product or service. This is not only ethical but it is also required by law in many countries. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) in the United States requires influencers to disclose their partnerships with brands, and failure to do so can result in fines. “If you endorse a product through social media, your endorsement message should make it obvious when you have a relationship (“material connection”) with the brand. A “material connection” to the brand includes a personal, family, or employment relationship or a financial relationship – such as the brand paying you or giving you free or discounted products or services…As an influencer, it’s your responsibility to make these disclosures, to be familiar with the Endorsement Guides, and to comply with laws against deceptive ads. Don’t rely on others to do it for you.” This makes for the best communication all around for brands, customers, and influencers, as it’s best to be as clear as possible when doing paid endorsements.

Authenticity is an additional responsibility of influencer marketing. Influencers should only support goods and services in which they firmly believe. They run the danger of losing the confidence of their followers if they promote something they don’t genuinely enjoy or use. Additionally, this can hurt the reputation of the brand they are advertising. The reputation of the company could be jeopardized if the influencer’s followers learn that they don’t genuinely enjoy the product. Making clear standards is yet another error. Influencers should get clear instructions from brands on what they are expected to promote, how they are expected to do so, and the ultimate objective. The influencer could not provide what they were looking for if they don’t set clear expectations, which can lead to a campaign’s failure. 

“Authenticity is essential in influencer marketing. People listen to influencers who are honest and relatable. In addition to the moral problems I mentioned above, brands and influencers must also follow FTC rules, community guidelines and terms of service on social media platforms.”(Forbes)

In addition to these obligations, influencer marketing also carries the risk of errors. Not conducting enough research on the influencer is one of the worst errors. Brands should ensure the influencer they are working with shares their values and appeals to their target audience. They should confirm that the influencer’s followers are real and look into the influencer’s engagement rates. They run the danger of misusing their marketing investment if they collaborate with an influencer who has fake followers or low interaction rates. Not assessing the campaign’s success is another error. To determine whether their influencer marketing initiatives are successful and meeting their objectives, brands should monitor the results. This involves keeping tabs on sales, online traffic, and engagement rates. They won’t know whether they are receiving a return on their investment if they don’t evaluate the effectiveness of their efforts.   

An example of an influencer not following the FTC guidelines is Kylie Jenner. As talked about in the article Truth in Advertising, how Kylie Jenner promoted Vlada Haggerty and didn’t make clear whether it was an ad a shoutout a paid promotion, or what it was, you’ll see her exact Instagram post which the caption is only a sentence long. She’s telling her followers to check out their makeup but is not communicating what the goal of this picture is whatsoever. This endorsement by Kylie broke the FTC guidelines, linked here. She is misleading her followers about the relationship she has with this brand as well, she’s directing her followers in a certain direction but with no explanation for anything.

In another Instagram post, Kylie Jenner then posts the picture you see below, and this made Haggerty upset because it’s very similar to her work and social media posts, which is now violating other guidelines since this is not Kylie’s work. Their connection to each other wasn’t disclosed and these two companies aren’t usual collaborators, even so, Kylie did not give credit where it was due and this made Haggerty upset. “Haggerty objected to Jenner’s Instagram for the Kylie Cosmetics holiday collection that had featured the gold hands saying it was too similar to Haggerty’s work. She had previously called Jenner out for another Instagram depicting cosmetics images that touched on similar themes as her own. Haggerty reportedly turned to legal counsel and threatened to sue for copyright infringement.” After breaking the FTC guidelines, now Jenner is being accused of copyright infringement which is a whole other way of her not being ethical on social media and her business. After this dispute, Kylie had finally given credit where it was due, and the issue was resolved between the two companies.

These ethical responsibilities can tend to be forgotten, even by major celebrities who are navigating the influencer world. The FTC does a great job of outlining the rules and regulations to ethically be able to abide by what is right to do when influencers have the opportunity to do endorsements with brands. In conclusion, influencers need to make sure that they are brushed up on these guidelines so as to not face punishments and or break relationships with brands and followers due to a mistake. 

written by Goldera Surles

Abraham Lincoln said it himself: don’t believe everything you read online just because there’s a picture with a quote next to it. Our former president may not have said that statement either, but the truth remains. Amidst the world of honest journalism is the dark web of fake news, and artificial intelligence is at its forefront.

Fake news consists of false or misleading news reports developed to misinform or deceive readers. Fake news can come in various forms, including news articles or political memes on social media platforms. While some types of this news can be hilarious, it can also damage an organization’s or a person’s reputation. According to a study conducted by the Pew Research Center, 94% of participating journalists expressed how fake news stories and information are an enormous concern in America. 

That concern stems from more than just humans because AI (artificial intelligence) can contribute to misleading news. Real-time information company AppliedXL’s co-founder Francesco Marconi stated in part of an article that there were many examples of news publishers automating content in the world today. As mentioned by one of its senior journalists, the company Reuters uses the Reuters News Tracer as an AI filter that verifies information about events that might be newsworthy. Agence France-Presse, a French international news agency, utilizes the AFP Transcriber, which also incorporates artificial intelligence in voice recognition.

While AI appears to be a potent tool for battling inaccurate information and enhancing local news, The Guardian editor Ian Tucker broke down his feelings about chatbots. He states they have a reputation for manufacturing truth and inventing sources. When I tried to fact-check something using ChatGPT, an AI chatbot developed by OpenAI, the bot suggested inaccurate information. AI can become an unreliable source of facts for reporters. The integration of journalism and artificial intelligence can confuse journalists worldwide.

There is also a dark side to AI emerging as a formidable threat to the truth of journalism. The potential for its misuse is becoming more evident as individuals harness its capabilities to orchestrate immoral criminal activities. A CNN Business article unfolded a story regarding the detainment of a man in China who utilized AI to spread online rumors. The suspect used ChatGPT to fabricate a news report about a train crash, which he later uploaded online intending to acquire revenue.

From an ethical standpoint, this man’s decision defied John Stuart Mill’s principles of utility. According to the book “Media Ethics: Cases and Moral Reasoning,” the crucial point of this principle is that the best way to distinguish right from wrong is to produce the greatest amount of good or happiness (20). The specifics of the provided news report failed to promote the most happiness as there is sensitivity regarding the topic. That painful underlying reason for its susceptibility is authorities were under pressure to explain why state media failed to react appropriately to a bullet train collision that killed 40 people in Wenzhou in 2011. The Chinese man immorally used AI to create and disseminate misinformation, which led to the alteration and harm of public opinion.

With this arrest being one of the earliest criminal cases involving an AI chatbot in the nation, a pressing question arises: Is AI a peril to journalism? The ethical integrity of journalism hangs in the balance of AI as a news supplement. The case of the man in China depicts how the intricate web of AI-generated fake news and its implications affect the credibility of journalism. Although AI is not inherently unethical, decisions made by those who use it unjustly can have significant consequences.

AI has had a profoundly transformational effect on the news industry. Its capabilities include large-scale data analysis, automated content creation, and personalized news distribution. To preserve the integrity of journalism, journalists, news organizations, and technology developers must play a vital role. Journalists and reporters should stick to the old-fashioned way of developing news stories to protect the future of journalism. AI-generated news stories are not the most factual. The continuous use of this software will destroy the beacon of truth in journalism. They should uphold the principles of honesty and transparency within their reports and consider the broader moral implications of their actions on society. Journalism must remain a force for truth, enlightenment, and human welfare in the face of the dark side of technology.

“There’s absolutely nothing mini about mini rooms. The only thing mini about it is our pay.”

– Anonymous WGA member about the May 2, 2023 strike, from IndieWire

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Are you excited to watch the next season of your favorite television show? If so, it may be time to start rethinking that excitement because you will be waiting longer than expected. On May 2, 2023 the Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) began their strike to change open issues within their negotiation deals. There is no question that devastating effects for writers, the industry, and the economy can become possible. If anyone has ever participated in a strike they know that it is about the long-term gains. When beginning this process the painful short-term effects of not engaging in work will prove to be worth it. Strikes can take weeks or months to end, but overtime those on the opposite side will be motivated to make concessions. In this case writers will be rewarded in their negotiations. For over one month now writers have been striking primarily in California and New York in the fight to protect their livable wages (Holmes, 2023).

If you visit any production company or studio right now you will see hundreds of writers outside with picket signs showcasing their messages. The last time the WGA went on strike was in 2007 before streaming services were fully evolved. It meant that the writers were not able to include them into negotiations as they normally do every time distribution technology changes occur. Now 16 years later television has seen an explosion of streaming platforms. This means more writers are having to do work that pays worse and is less secure. A key issue of the current strike sits with the numerous streaming services as they are continuously pumping out content (Thurm, 2023). Recently streamers have been using a controversial practice that goes about shrinking writers rooms called mini rooms. Traditionally a room will include seven or more writers depending on the series, however mini rooms have only a handful for a shorter period of time. Essentially streamers are hiring writer’s to ‘break’ the story, meaning they are structuring the season and breaking it down. Rather than being paid normal fees the writers are being paid union minimum for a short time on payroll. Despite the shorter time and lower wage these writers are still doing a heavy load of work. Game of Thrones writer George R.R. Martin stated his thoughts on getting rid of mini rooms, “The right to have that kind of career path. To enable new writers, young writers, and yes, prose writers, to climb the same ladder… Streamers and shortened seasons have blown the ladder to splinters,” (Shanfeld, 2023). Streaming services are creating a system that allows them to produce less episodes in a season for a fraction of the price. The writers are being disrespected because they are being treated as gig writers rather than part of a possibly successful and long lasting show (Chappell, 2023).

As streaming services continue to disrupt the cycle of television shows with their shortened seasons, the duration of employment has become a large concern for writers. The strike is aiming to achieve a minimum terms of employment on television engagements. The goal is 10 consecutive weeks of work in addition to protections for staff writing rooms. Writers are being taken advantage of by the streamers who are engaging them for smaller guaranteed duration’s while insisting exclusivity. In other words they want to be the writers first-priority beyond the guaranteed periods, meaning they are being prohibited from finding other positions. Not only are these writers being paid less than they deserve, but they are not able to find additional employment during the gray windows. It is contributing to their instability while working on temporary scripts. The writers have demanded streamers begin to pay additional residuals that are based on viewership and improve the residuals for high budget advertising-based video on demand television. Unfortunately the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP), whom they are striking against, rejected the demand without providing a counter proposal. Streamers have been secretive with their data of viewership, engagement, and the value of specific pieces of content leading to a lack of measurable formulas. Without a proper way to measure the success of shows on these platforms the AMPTP cannot convey a way of measuring the residuals. For these reasons it is extremely important for the WGA to win this fight. The protection of a minimum work period and additional compensation is essential in being able to make a livable wage (Ramo, 2023).

As writers continue their fight for better contracts many are joining in the action. Outside Culver City’s institutions on May 5, 2023 Jeopardy writer Michele Loud stated, “Our words are on the screen every night. There is no ‘Jeopardy’ without writers. Without us it’s just an empty blue screen,” (Earl, 2023). Brett Goldstein actor from Ted Lasso and writer of Shrinking, both Apple TV+ original shows, told Collider, “It’s time the writers were paid a fair wage. There are writers who are struggling to afford to live, and in our business, we need writers,” (McPherson, 2023). Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Sarah Hyland, and Nolan Gould from the television show Modern Family reunited with their writers on June 1, 2023 to support the mission. Ferguson stated on Instagram, “Modern Family wouldn’t have lasted 11 episodes…much less 11 YEARS without the incredible work of our writers. It was so wonderful reuniting with the @modernfamily cast, crew, and WRITERS today to show that we are all #wgastrong!”

With the continuous support from actors and filmmakers the strike has been in the media everyday. The clever written signs and celebrity appearances has led to the writers winning the current PR war. It has been a long process, however the WGA are not planning on giving up anytime soon. Television shows and movies will continue to suspend production until the strike can be resolved. In the end the goal is for the writers to get what they rightly deserve in the career that they love.” (Saperstein, 2023).

Written by Kirstin Trouville

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Chappell, B. (2023, May 3). From Mini Rooms to streaming, things have changed since the last big writers strike. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/05/03/1173439467/writers-guild-strike-2023-comparison-2007 

Earl, W. (2023, 6 May 6). Week 1 of WGA Strike — ‘Jeopardy!’ Writers Answer Questions: ‘Without Us It’s Just an Empty Blue Screen’. Variety. https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/wga-writers-speak-out-studios-execs-picket-line-1235601261/

Holmes, L. (2023, May 3). If you think a writers strike will be bad for viewers, status quo may be even worse. NPR. https://www.npr.org/2023/05/03/1173552824/what-writers-strike-means-for-viewers

McPherson, C. (2023, May 2). Elizabeth Olsen, Brett Goldstein, and More Hollywood Stars Offer Support to Striking Writers. Collider. https://collider.com/wga-writers-strike-celebrity-support/

Saperstein, P. (2023, May 16). Writers strike 2023: The celebrities who have picketed with WGA. Variety. https://variety.com/lists/writers-strike-2023-celebrities-picketing-wga/tina-fey-2/ 

Shanfeld, E. (2023, May 9). George R.R. Martin Calls Mini Rooms ‘Abominations’: ‘The WGA Needs to Win on That Issue’. Variety. https://variety.com/2023/tv/news/george-rr-martin-writers-strike-mini-rooms-1235607525/

Ramo, E. (2023, June 1). 3 challenges to overcome in the writers’ strike. Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/sites/elsaramo/2023/05/29/wga-strike-breaking-down-the-fight/?sh=2723cbee1de0 

Thurm, E. (2023, May 5). All about the writers strike: What does the WGA want and why are they fighting so hard for it?. GQ. https://www.gq.com/story/writers-strike-2023-wga-explained