Asian Journalism Forum highlights media’s role in election

TAIPEI (TVBS News) — This year, a global wave of elections is set to impact 4.2 billion people, unfolding across 76 countries, including pivotal nations like the United Kingdom, France, and the United States. Amid these political milestones, journalists from around the world gathered in Taiwan for a two-day forum titled "Journalism in this Historical Election Year," addressing the challenges of reporting in an era of increasing digital polarization and the misuse of artificial intelligence in news creation.

Digital Dilemmas

Ki-ju Lee, a reporter from MBC News in South Korea, expressed concerns about the recurring trend of strong leaders extending their control through elections, noting, "These years have already occurred in several countries in the elections, when more strong leaders continue their authority, so I'm worried and concerned that the uncertainty will continue this year and next year." Lee's remarks highlight the anxiety and challenges journalists face in such turbulent political climates.

Wahyu Dhyatmika, CEO of Tempo Digital in Indonesia, emphasized the exacerbated polarization due to digital environments. "In the last few years, I think this polarization is enhanced by the digital environment, which created these alternative realities that create these bubbles, really influencing how people think, what people believe, how they perceive facts and truths," he explained. Dhyatmika advocates for transparency and accountability in journalism, urging professionals to explain their methodologies and decision-making processes to the public to maintain trust.

Technology and Trust
The increasing use of generative AI in news production, creating deceptive content such as fake images and videos, poses significant threats to the pillars of truth and trust in democratic governance. Noppatjak Attanon, Editor-in-Chief of TODAY from Thailand, compared AI tools in journalism to traditional tools like cameras and microphones, emphasizing the necessity to understand and appropriately use AI to maintain journalistic integrity.

In Thailand, the approach to fact-checking through robust social media engagement is seen as a model of effective two-way communication, which Attanon describes as healthy and essential for credibility. "In Thailand, so far, the sort of, like the fact check system has been healthy, because we use a lot of social media. And it is a lot like two way communication," he noted.

As elections continue to unfold globally, the role of journalists in navigating the complexities of digital influence and AI-generated misinformation remains critical. The forum in Taiwan serves as a reminder of the media's indispensable role in upholding democratic values through accurate and responsible reporting.