Nic Newman • Time to trust

Who is telling the truth? How the media shape our society

At the European Forum Alpbach, Alexander Berth, host of Greiner Talks, talked to Nic Newman from the Reuters Institute of Journalism about communication and sustainability, the radically changing media landscape and the role of trust.

Nic Newman is a Senior Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford, where he is the lead author of the annual “Digital News Report”. He conducts research on media and technology trends, trust, payment models for news, social media and the impact of artificial intelligence.

In the interview with Greiner Talks, he shares his impressions of the European Forum Alpbach and delves deeper into the topics that shape journalism and media use today. We are currently living in a time in which social media and algorithmic filter bubbles are increasingly influencing the way we consume information.

Algorithms are often designed to reinforce existing opinions, making it more difficult to access diverse perspectives. Filter bubbles, the phenomenon whereby we are only shown content that confirms our existing opinions, is real, but not as all-encompassing as is often assumed. This is because there are also algorithms that aim to introduce us to new content. Trust is becoming a crucial factor in the credibility of the media, partly due to technological developments in the field of artificial intelligence.

One of the central topics was the perception of negative news. Nic Newman explained that many people feel that reporting is too negative, but also pointed out the importance of solution journalism. There are many positive things that are worthy of reporting, whether in climate change or technology.

During the discussion, Nic Newman also emphasized the great importance of independent journalism for our society. Without it, there can be no informed and functioning democracy.

“We need independent journalism to hold companies and politicians accountable.” – Nic Newman, Senior Research Fellow at the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at the University of Oxford

Despite the difficulties, Newman remains optimistic that journalism can continue to consolidate its role in society. He believes it is particularly important to better understand the audience: “What I have learned is to listen much more and talk less.”