• Blassnig Sina Julia

Data-driven technologies like algorithms and artificial intelligence play an increasingly important role in the production, distribution and consumption of news.

News organizations, for example, may use algorithms to automatically generate headlines or to make personalized content recommendations to their readers. Users increasingly inform themselves via algorithmically driven platforms like social media or news aggregators.

How are technologies, algorithms, and AI changing the role of journalists and news production processes?

What does this mean for news use, public opinion, and trust in journalism?

And what methods can we use to investigate these developments? We will explore these and other questions based on current research and practical examples.

Acquiring knowledge about the use, significance and impact of algorithms and AI in the field of news
Getting an overview of theoretical approaches and methods in this field and raising awareness for relevant research questions. Developing analytical and critical thinking.

Master students have to enroll via the exams-delegate-ses@unifr.ch to be able to enlist to the course

Examples of relevant literature:

Bastian, M., Helberger, N., & Makhortykh, M. (2021). Safeguarding the Journalistic DNA: Attitudes towards the Role of Professional Values in Algorithmic News Recommender Designs. Digital Journalism, 9(6), 835–863. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2021.1912622

Dogruel, L., Facciorusso, D., & Stark, B. (2022). ‘I’m still the master of the machine.’ Internet users’ awareness of algorithmic decision-making and their perception of its effect on their autonomy. In-formation, Communication & Society, 25(9), 1311–1332. https://doi.org/10.1080/1369118X.2020.1863999

Fletcher, R., Kalogeropoulos, A., & Nielsen, R. K. (2021). More diverse, more politically varied: How social media, search engines and aggregators shape news repertoires in the United Kingdom. New Media & Society, 146144482110273. https://doi.org/10.1177/14614448211027393

60 minutes

60 minutes