Applications are open for the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) JournalismAI Academy for Small Newsrooms 2023. The JournalismAI Academy for Small Newsrooms is a free online programme that offers a deep dive into the potential of artificial intelligence to journalists and media professionals from small newsrooms. It is designed by the JournalismAI team at the LSE and powered by the Google News Initiative.
The Academy has been a core programme of the JournalismAI initiative since 2021, training 60 newsroom professionals from across the globe. Thanks to the experience of the past two years and the exceptional feedback they received from participants, they are now reopening the Academy for two cohorts:
- Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA)
- Asia-Pacific (APAC)
Programme details
The 8-week programme will start in June 2023. It is designed for journalists and media professionals from small news organisations (fewer than 50 employees). In line with JournalismAI’s mission to make the potential of AI more accessible for news organisations worldwide, the Academy aims to support small newsrooms that want to learn how AI can be used to enhance their journalism.
The programme combines a series of masterclasses given by experts working at the intersection of journalism and artificial intelligence with opportunities for discussion among participants. In addition to that, participants will be guided through the development of resources that can support their organisations’ AI-adoption journey during and after the programme. The programme begins June 1, 2023.
Programme benefits
Participants will leave the Academy with a practical understanding of the opportunities and challenges offered by AI technologies, examples of successful implementation, and the tools to set up an action plan to guide the development of AI projects in their news organisations. Through engaging presentations and interactive workshops, the programme aims to empower participant’s professional development and enable their organisations to access AI adoption and implementation.
By the end of the programme participants will have:
- Improved their AI literacy and demystified AI buzzwords
- Gained new perspectives from a multicultural, interdisciplinary environment
- Improved understanding of the potential offered to journalism by AI technologies
- Learnt new methods and skills to experiment and prototype new ideas
- Developed their thinking about the role of technology in journalism
- Learnt about a set of AI-powered tools available for news organisations
- Developed a regional network of like-minded news innovators
Eligibility criteria
- The Academy is designed for journalists and media professionals working in small newsrooms (fewer than 50 employees).
- Fluency in English is required to take part in the Academy.
- The ideal candidate already has a basic understanding of the potential of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and works in a news organisation that has started exploring how to use these new technologies.
- Candidates with different newsroom titles will be considered but, in the selection process, priority will be given to candidates that demonstrate the ability to influence the strategic adoption of AI in their news organisation to tackle journalistic challenges.
- No coding skills are required to attend the Academy, nor are there any other technical requirements, other than a stable WiFi connection to participate in the live activities.
- Journalists and media professionals from all backgrounds are encouraged to apply.
- The Academy is not for freelancers – you need to be part of a newsroom to benefit from the programme.
- The Academy is not for journalists based outside the EMEA and APAC regions.
Eligible countries
- Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and
- Asia-Pacific (APAC) region.
Application procedure and deadline
Applications can be completed through the online portal. Application deadline is April 30, 2023.
