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Neil Thurman

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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Thanks to my co-authors from @ifkw.bsky.social ky.social: Sorsha Sabus and @sinatk.bsky.social. Thanks also to the @datajconf.com for the opportunity to present the paper.

openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/35...
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Our new study finds journalists:
👉 with higher AI knowledge and/or
👉 who work at newsrooms where AI is more integrated

see AI in journalism as an opportunity to a significantly higher extent:

openaccess.city.ac.uk/id/eprint/35...

That said, AI is seen as more of a threat than an opportunity.
City Research Online - Is Fear Born of Ignorance? Associations Between Journalists’ AI Attitudes, Knowledge, and Use
openaccess.city.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Important research from @suttontrust.bsky.social about privilege of 100 elite media editors/presenters. Our @reutersinstitute.bsky.social report looks wider—at ALL UK journalists. We found over 22% privately educated. Well above the 7% nationwide:

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/uk-journalis...
carlcullinane.bsky.social
Carl Cullinane @carlcullinane.bsky.social · 20d
Pleased to write about working class access to the media industry in @theguardian.com today. Our Elitist Britain research out today shows that almost half of columnists, commentators and top podcast hosts went to private schools. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This news just in: we hoped the middle- and upper-class capture of the media would lessen. It’s got worse | Carl Cullinane
Since our last survey, we find more columnists, podcasters and executives are from privileged backgrounds. That’s too narrow a segment of society, says Carl Cullinane, director of research and policy ...
www.theguardian.com
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman, Dave O’Brien, Peter Campbell

carlcullinane.bsky.social
Pleased to write about working class access to the media industry in @theguardian.com today. Our Elitist Britain research out today shows that almost half of columnists, commentators and top podcast hosts went to private schools. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
This news just in: we hoped the middle- and upper-class capture of the media would lessen. It’s got worse | Carl Cullinane
Since our last survey, we find more columnists, podcasters and executives are from privileged backgrounds. That’s too narrow a segment of society, says Carl Cullinane, director of research and policy ...
www.theguardian.com
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
On 31 Dec, the @ajc.com will quit print & go online-only. What will happen to the audience attention it attracts? If the pattern's the same as @richardfletcher.bsky.social & I found for @the-independent.com, then none of the print reading mins will move online:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman, Richard Fletcher

reutersinstitute.bsky.social
Today we launched a report on UK journalists: who they are, how they work and what they think. Edited by @neilthurman.bsky.social @imkehenkel.bsky.social Sina Thäsler-Kordonouri & @richardfletcher.bsky.social, it's based on a 2023 representative survey

📱Read it
buff.ly/gIBRL1f
🧵Findings in thread
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Watch this space for our forthcoming report on the survey's findings...

by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
• Main employer's: media background, level of newsroom AI integration, use of AI for specific newsroom tasks, use of inhouse and/or 3rd-party AI tools, AI stance, plans for AI integration, provision of AI training & protocols, size, ownership, & membership of a larger media conglomerate.
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
• Perceptions of: the extent to which AI is a threat to journalism, the extent to which AI is an opportunity for journalism, and concern about seven possible ethical consequences of AI use in journalism.
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
• Working routines, specifically: beat worked on, media formats worked with (text, photographs etc.), frequency of journalistic use of AI in general, and frequency of use of AI for 31 specific journalistic tasks (e.g. translation, still image generation etc.).
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
• Employment: yrs work experience; employment contract; management responsibility; satisfaction with time spent on low level & complex and creative tasks; & perceptions of job security (Vander Elst et al, 2013), workplace stress (‘Workplace Stress Scale’ ), & level of editorial freedom.
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
The survey contains questions about journalists’:

• Personal characteristics, specifically: gender, age, openness (adapted from ‪‪@cjsotomatic.bsky.social‬‬ & John, 2017), and AI knowledge (adapted from ‪@maitesoto-sanfiel.bsky.social‬, ‪@angulobrunet.bsky.social‬ & ‪@lutzid.bsky.social‬, 2024).
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
We're happy to share the full questionnaire we used in our recent survey of UK journalists on artificial intelligence:

figshare.com/articles/onl...

@sinatk.bsky.social & I designed the questionnaire with the assistance of students from @lmumuenchen.bsky.social's @ifkw.bsky.social.
Quantitative survey questionnaire on artificial intelligence (AI) in journalism fielded to journalists
A survey fielded between 29th August and 4th November 2024 on UK journalists' use of artificial intelligence (AI). The survey contains questions about journalists’:Personal characteristics, specifical...
figshare.com
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
New @indexoncensorship.org piece on our @reutersinstitute.bsky.social UK Journalists report. Mark Stimpson highlights our findings on UK journalists' diversity; experience of safety threats; & thoughts on media freedom, objectivity, & their societal roles:

www.indexoncensorship.org/2025/06/uk-j...
UK journalists face growing personal threats and say media freedom is at risk - Index on Censorship
A new Reuters Institute report on the British media landscape found that nearly half of those surveyed think the truth is shaped by people in power
www.indexoncensorship.org
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Re: how much difference Pornhub's decision will make to under 18s' exposure to online porn, our research shows the same proportions of 15–17-year-olds (31%) had seen porn via other porn sites as via 8 of the most popular porn sites in France (inc Pornhub): onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Policy & Internet | PSO Journal | Wiley Online Library
In 2020, the French Parliament passed an amendment that put the country at the forefront of attempts by democratic states to restrict young people's access to legal online pornography. This study exa...
onlinelibrary.wiley.com

by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Pornhub is to suspend their site in France in protest at a new age verification law:

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/j...

In our research, we found that 41% of 15–17-year-olds in France had seen porn via such porn sites, on average within the last month:

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reach of—and recency of exposure to—pornography via each of eight media platforms among 15-, 16-, and 17-year-olds in France (N  =  999). Note: The size of the bubbles indicates the proportion who have had any exposure. The position of the bubbles indicates the mean and median days since last exposure.
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman, Richard Fletcher

reutersinstitute.bsky.social
@mitalilive.bsky.social @robynvinter.bsky.social @glendacooper.bsky.social @neilthurman.bsky.social
and Kira Richards discussed our recent #UKJournalists report @cityjournalism.bsky.social

Here's a summary of the panel by @marinaadami.bsky.social
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/news/how-cha...
How to change UK journalism: what we learnt at the launch of our report on the profession today
A panel moderated by our Director, Mitali Mukherjee, discussed tech disruption, a lack of diversity and the uncertain future of young journalists.
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Come along to our London launch event at 6pm today to discuss the report's implications and get your free print copy. Leading the discussion will be @robynvinter.bsky.social, @mitalilive.bsky.social & Kira Richards. More information & registration here:

www.citystgeorges.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
UK Journalists in the 2020s: Launch Event at City St George's, University of London | City St George's, University of London
New study examines who contemporary UK journalists are, how they work and what they think
www.citystgeorges.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
We authored the report along with @cityjournalism.bsky.social's Rana Arafat, @lindseyblumell.bsky.social, @glendacooper.bsky.social,
@leahellmueller.bsky.social, @panievsky.bsky.social & @janebsinger.bsky.social; @francoisnel.bsky.social; Craig T Robertson; & Jingrong Tong.
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
It's the follow up to our 2015 survey, the results of which I published with Alessio Cornia & @jessicakunert.bsky.social:

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/our-research...

I edited this new report with @imkehenkel.bsky.social, @sinatk.bsky.social & @richardfletcher.bsky.social.
Journalists in the UK
DOI: 10.60625/risj-83nm-gr64 How diverse is journalism? Are journalists less religious than the general population of the UK? How is digital journalism impacting specialist beats? And how ethical are ...
reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Who are UK journalists? How do they work? What do they think? And how has all this changed in the last decade? Our new @reutersinstitute.bsky.social report answers these questions. It's based on our representative survey of 1130 UK journalists:

reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/uk-journalis...
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman, Richard Fletcher

reutersinstitute.bsky.social
Tonight we'll present our new report on UK journalists in the 2020s at this event at @cityjournalism.bsky.social. Speakers include
@robynvinter.bsky.social @mitalilive.bsky.social @glendacooper.bsky.social @neilthurman.bsky.social and Kira Richards

Register to join in person now
buff.ly/9cAqOU9
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman

reutersinstitute.bsky.social
On Monday we'll present our new report on UK journalists in the 2020s at this event at @cityjournalism.bsky.social. Speakers include
@robynvinter.bsky.social @mitalilive.bsky.social @glendacooper.bsky.social @neilthurman.bsky.social and Kira Richards

Register to join in person now
buff.ly/9cAqOU9
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman, Richard Fletcher

reutersinstitute.bsky.social
On Monday we'll present our new report on UK journalists in the 2020s at this event at @cityjournalism.bsky.social. Speakers include
@robynvinter.bsky.social @mitalilive.bsky.social @glendacooper.bsky.social @neilthurman.bsky.social and Kira Richards

Register to join in person now
buff.ly/cMA9XSB
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Reposted by: Neil Thurman

imkehenkel.bsky.social
Interested in the state of journalism in the UK? Especially keen to hear about local UK journalism?

Save the date - 1st May 6pm - when @leedsunimedia.bsky.social will host the regional launch for our new @reutersinstitute.bsky.social report.

Registration open here: ahc.leeds.ac.uk/events/event...
UK Journalists in the 2020s: Regional launch of major new report on the state of journalism in the UK
Join the School’s researchers and a panel of local journalists and experts to hear about the main findings from the report and for a discussion on the implications for the future of local journalism
ahc.leeds.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Authors include @francoisnel.bsky.social
@leahellmueller.bsky.social @glendacooper.bsky.social @richardfletcher.bsky.social @imkehenkel.bsky.social
@sinatk.bsky.social @janebsinger.bsky.social @lindseyblumell.bsky.social @janebsinger.bsky.social @panievsky.bsky.social @francoisnel.bsky.social
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
Delighted that @robynvinter.bsky.social, the North of England correspondent at @theguardian.com, is joining us as a panelist at the launch event for our major new report. Sign up via the link below to reserve your spot.
neilthurman.bsky.social
Neil Thurman @neilthurman.bsky.social · Feb 25
Who are UK journalists? How do they work? What do they think? What's changed in the last decade? Our forthcoming @reutersinstitute.bsky.social report will answer these questions. Registration now open for the launch event @citystgeorges.bsky.social at 6pm, 28 April:

www.city.ac.uk/news-and-eve...
UK Journalists in the 2020s: Launch Event at City St George's, University of London | City, University of London
New study examines who contemporary UK journalists are, how they work and what they think
www.city.ac.uk
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
If you don't have a subscription and/or speak German you can read an excellent summary by @speppered.bsky.social in @niemanlab.org here:

www.niemanlab.org/2025/02/less...

Or the full article here:

www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....
Less is more, and discounts work: A new study looks at the minutiae of paywall strategy
“Reducing the information density of teaser elements on paywalled articles and offering discounts may help newspapers increase their online subscriber numbers.”
www.niemanlab.org
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
We analysed millions of visits to German & Austrian news websites' paywalls in our new study. It generated press coverage in the US & the UK but this is the 1st coverage in Germany or Austria, although the article is behind HORIZONT's paywall, appropriately:

www.horizont.at/medien/news/...
Neue Studie: Was bei Paywalls entscheidend ist
Wann entscheiden sich Nutzer:innen ein Online-Abo abzuschließen? Die Antwort auf diese Frage hängt von vielen kleinen Stellschrauben ab. Eine Studie hat diese nun in Österreich und Deutschland untersu...
www.horizont.at
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by Neil Thurman

neilthurman.bsky.social
What a relief to have replaced the Twitter/X feed on my website's homepage with a feed of my @bsky.app posts. It feels so much better. A 3rd party solution integrated nicely with the Contao CMS I'm using:

neilthurman.com
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