INTERVIEW SERIES: Journalism in the Digital Age INTERVIEWER: Gökhan Çolak | INTERVIEWER: Emilie Matthews

Beginning in Journalism

What was your main motivation for pursuing a master’s degree in journalism?

Writing has been at the cornerstone of my professional life since I graduated college, though journalism came into the picture somewhat by coincidence. While studying communication and marketing during my undergraduate years in Montreal, I landed an internship at Culture Cible, a cooperative of five online publications focused on Montréal’s cultural scene.

I spent a summer writing concerts, theater shows, and television shows reviews. The experience sparked my passion for exploring my city, attending events, and writing about them to share my experiences, with the hope of inspiring others to be tourists in their own city. Since then, I have continued freelancing for one of those five publications, Bible urbaine.

Education and Experience

How has the American Journalism Online program at NYU shaped your understanding of journalism?

The American Journalism Online (AJO) program at NYU expanded my understanding of what it means to be a journalist today. In a straightforward sense, it introduced me to types of journalism I had no prior experience with, such as long-form narrative and investigative reporting.

Particularly with investigative reporting, I didn’t realize how much work goes into gathering data and finding patterns in numbers. The same was true for my multimedia courses. I’m so grateful for the opportunity to have learned to use tools like Adobe Premiere Pro, to edit footage I had shot myself, and to develop skills like speaking confidently on camera. However, I think the most important lesson I’ll take away from this program comes from my features professor and, though seemingly simple, has stuck with me because it applies to all areas of journalism: “They [editors/publications] just need you to be good at telling a story. That’s what it really comes down to.”

In your opinion, what are the advantages and challenges of studying journalism in an online format, given that it is such a practice-oriented field?

“Is it ALL online?!” I remember friends and family raising an eyebrow when I said I had chosen a completely online graduate program over in-person ones I had been accepted into. Some of those comments, along with my own preconceptions, made me think, “I really hope I made the right choice” more than once before starting the program. I’m so glad I did. Having completed my undergraduate studies in a typical in-person college setting, I can compare the two.

Classes in the AJO program were much smaller, allowing me to get to know my classmates and professors far more than I ever did in a 200-person lecture hall. The intense and exciting pace of all the written and filmed assignments, especially while taking three courses at once for two out of my three semesters, gave me an intense hands-on workload. The biggest challenge was being extremely organized to stay on top of everything, which wasn’t solely due to the online nature of the program.

Profession and Perspective

Living in Montreal, how has being between Canada and the U.S. helped you compare the media landscapes of the two countries?

I’ve lived in Canada for a decade and grew up in a French-American New York household, speaking primarily French. As a result, I’ve always consumed news in two languages, from different countries. During my first two semesters at NYU, it was fascinating to compare the coverage of two very different elections in such a short span: the American presidential election and Canada’s federal election. I found that Canadian coverage felt less polarized, theatrical, and sensationalized. Of course, this is influenced not just by journalists but also by the political actors involved. In my view, coverage of Canadian elections tends to focus on parties as much as individual leaders, contrary to the U.S. It also seems that people here place greater trust in major media outlets, like CBC or Radio-Canada, compared with the U.S.

As a copywriter, how do you distinguish between the language of advertising/communications and the language of journalism? Do you see any interaction between the two?

Beyond the ability to use words effectively, there isn’t much overlap between the two. When I’m writing copy for clients, my goal isn’t to report an event or provide insight, it’s to sell something to someone. The “nitty-gritty” of the content itself is also very different: I have to integrate SEO keywords or key product selling points, and I’m usually working within strict character limit constraints. Facebook ads, radio scripts, and print ads all need to be short, catchy, and to the point.

Digitalization and New Media

In your view, what is the most significant way journalism is changing in the digital age?

As a journalist, I believe the most significant changes in journalism in the digital age, and the ways we must adapt, stem from two main challenges. First, we have to compete for audiences’ attention with unqualified individuals on social media who offer their own takes on the news, often spreading misinformation or disinformation. Second, we face a polarized media landscape and widespread distrust toward people in our profession. I’ve even received unsolicited advice such as, “Journalism is over,” or, “Why would you want to get into that profession now?” To me, this only underscores how much we need reporters committed to honesty and integrity now more than ever.

Do you see social media as more of an opportunity or a threat for young journalists?

Social media is both a threat and an opportunity for journalists. On the one hand, it amplifies the spread of misinformation and disinformation from unqualified individuals competing for audiences’ attention. I’m also worried the digitalization of news through social media tools such as reels and stories can also reduce attention spans. However, social media also allows journalists to expand their reach and build a personal brand, which can advance their careers more quickly. Secondly, professional social media profiles can help humanize journalists and increase audience trust. I also think certain multimedia tools available through these platforms like posts with infographics provide creative flexibility for storytelling. Personally, the biggest benefit from social media is connecting with niche communities, such as Reddit’s adult doll collector groups, which led to interviews and rich reporting for one of my recent pieces.

How do you think the rapid development of technology, especially artificial intelligence, will shape the future of journalism?

Like in so many other fields, AI is now deeply intertwined with journalism. There’s no going back. I believe it’s crucial to consider the ethical dilemmas it can create and to use AI as a tool, not a replacement. I use AI in my copywriting work, and I find that it often makes mistakes that require careful fact-checking. While that is important in marketing, I believe it is even more critical in journalism ( the stakes are very different when covering a political protest versus highlighting the key selling points of an ATV).

On another note, it frustrates me when people claim they prefer getting their news from AI because they believe it is “unbiased.” These systems make decisions about which information to include and which to leave out. Studies have even shown biases in AI tools, such as ChatGPT-4’s political bias toward Democrats in the U.S., for example. Journalists, along with their associations and press councils, uphold values and standards, something AI cannot replace. As journalists, we must ensure that the future of our industry remains one in which journalists are the journalists, and AI is a tool.

After graduation, which field of journalism are you most interested in specializing in?

I’m still very much oriented toward cultural reporting. I’ve written over 80 articles covering concerts, book reviews, theater reviews, movie and TV critiques, and interviews with authors, singers, and conductors. I particularly enjoyed writing cultural pieces for my long-form narrative class, such as a story on a local roller derby tournament and another on adult American Girl doll collectors, exploring the motivations and passions behind this community. One of the greatest privileges of being a journalist is having the opportunity to meet so many people and learn about their passions: people I otherwise wouldn’t have the chance to know.

What ethical challenges do you think artificial intelligence may pose for journalism in terms of accuracy, objectivity, and truth?

As I mentioned earlier, I think it’s imprudent to assume AI is accurate. What’s especially concerning is when I point out that an AI-generated answer is inaccurate, and it responds casually with something like, “You’re right, my bad!” This cavalier approach to spreading misinformation as fact is alarming. Most journalists fact-check when using AI as a research tool, but this only reinforces how crucial it is to check, double-check, and triple-check everything extracted from AI.

Regarding objectivity, AI is created by companies with their own priorities, so how could it be truly objective? And, realistically, can anyone, even journalists, be completely objective? To me, a more attainable and important goal is honesty: being transparent about biases and opinions. Engaging with different perspectives enriches reporting and helps readers form their own understanding. Being honest about the person behind an article feels far more truthful than simply claiming objectivity.