by Tyron Devotta
Today, modern electronic devices, handheld screens, social media platforms—and now AI—have created a phenomenon where journalism is no longer treated as a disciplined craft or a knowledge-based profession. Instead, it has been reduced to a small module in an automated content-generation pipeline, powered not by a human mind but by digital systems operating in cyberspace.
To be clear, there is nothing inherently wrong with using digital tools. Technology can be an extension of human capability. But the danger we now face is that these tools have begun replacing the very instincts that made journalism meaningful. We have stopped being curious. We have stopped investigating. We have stopped interrogating the world, verifying facts, or shaping narratives with our own judgment and experience.
Instead, we are leaning—almost entirely—on recycled information floating in the common spaces of the internet and on the outputs of artificial intelligence. The raw curiosity that once drove reporters into the field, the grind of pursuing leads, the rigour of piecing together a story from the ground up—these are fading skills. The reporter’s notebook is being replaced by the copy-paste function. And the deeper culture of scepticism, the backbone of journalism, is being replaced by convenience.
The Illusion of the “Story”
Today, it is astonishingly easy to produce what appears to be a “story.” All one needs is a spark of an idea, a concept, and the right sequence of prompts. With a single click, a polished narrative emerges—complete with structure, language, tone, and even imagined details. It looks real, reads smoothly, and feels authoritative, but its connection to lived reality is tenuous at best.
We stand at a crossroads where the machinery of storytelling has become faster than the storytellers themselves. Narratives can now be manufactured without thought, without intent, and without the human struggle that once guaranteed meaning. And as long as we continue outsourcing curiosity, reasoning, and investigation to systems that do not possess these qualities, we risk becoming passive consumers in a world where stories are no longer discovered—but simply generated.
The general media space today is driven less by truth and more by emotion, sensationalism, and a darker undercurrent that increasingly works against the long-term interests of humanity. Traditional journalism—the craft once grounded in investigation, verification, and a relentless pursuit of facts—has been steadily hollowed out. The journalist who once stood as a guardian of truth has been replaced by a new breed of content gatherer, someone who relies on quick takes, trending clips, and recycled narratives rather than the discipline of curiosity and inquiry.
The Rise of Lazy Reporting
Lazy reporting has become the norm. Stories are now assembled through “talking points,” not through fieldwork or questioning. Instead of searching for meaning, many simply scan the digital chatter, gather whatever floats to the surface, and package it as news. This has created a hollow genre of message delivery—content that moves fast, triggers emotion, and disappears just as quickly, leaving nothing of substance behind.
The danger is that an entire ecosystem of story telling is slowly becoming meaningless. In this vacuum of depth and purpose, AI-generated content steps in, offering speed, style, and shock value. It gives us the hype, the thrill, the sensation—but not the information, insight, or grounding we require for our survival as thinking, democratic, connected human beings.
We are consuming more content than at any point in history, but understanding less. We are receiving more messages, but making fewer informed decisions. And as the media landscape becomes flooded with synthetic information—emotionally charged yet intellectually empty—the stakes rise for every institution that depends on public trust.
The Battle to Reclaim Narrative Integrity
This is the backdrop against which corporations, states, and political entities must now fight to reclaim narrative integrity. Because if human-crafted truth does not re-enter the public sphere with purpose, clarity, and authenticity, then the space will be overtaken entirely by automated noise.
Yes, this may sound harsh, even obnoxious. It may seem dangerous to call out an entire profession and say it has strayed from the right path. But someone has to bell the cat. Someone has to start thinking about solutions before the damage becomes irreversible.
At the heart of this challenge is a return to fundamentals. We must look again at how our journalists are trained and ask whether we still know how to distinguish between those who take the time to investigate and those who simply collect noise. This distinction matters—not to punish anyone, but to rebuild and reaffirm the belief systems of the consumer of news. Without trust, journalism collapses. Without trust, society collapses.
The Responsibility of PR
In this environment, PR professionals also carry a heavy responsibility. Their role cannot be limited to manufacturing spin or generating flattering narratives for their clients. In a world drowning in misinformation, their duty is to strip stories of unnecessary embellishment and keep them anchored in verifiable reality. Truth must emerge from both sides—those who report it and those who communicate it.
Is this a form of utopian thinking? Perhaps. But if we are serious about restoring public trust, then we must commit to the straight and narrow, even if the road is steep. A society that cannot believe in anything will soon fall for everything.
Preserving Mischief Without Losing Meaning
Of course, there is a legitimate concern that such idealism could drain the fun, flair, and personality out of writing—especially in opinion columns and editorials, where mischief, irony, and satire have always been the lifeblood of the craft. Some of the greatest journalists have wielded humour like a scalpel, exposing the absurdities of power through wit.
But that is not what we seek to eliminate.
The goal is not to sanitize journalism—it is to strengthen its core. The mainstream news must be straightened, stabilised, and restored to its rightful place as a reliable, authoritative source. Only then can satire, opinion, and mischievous commentary flourish as the distinctive art forms they were always meant to be—playful, provocative, and rooted in a foundation of trustworthy reporting.
When the base is solid, the art can rise!
First Article - Part 1 - The Human Guardians of the Narrative in an AI age
