Lynn Walsh: “AI in the Newsroom"
This year’s CAPBA convention seminar focused on the (growing) use of artificial intelligence in the newsroom.
Trusting News (trustingnews.org) Assistant Director Lynn Walsh told attendees at the 2025 CAPBA convention in Ocean City that it is essential to always be transparent when AI is used and explain how and why it is being used.
Walsh’s organization researches the use of AI and studies public sentiment about it, as well as assists journalists and newsrooms with adopting best practices to earn—and ensure--the public’s trust. She also said that newsrooms should be certain there is always human involvement with AI-generated content and that the content is fact checked BEFORE it’s published and/or aired.
Walsh advised that newsrooms need to develop clear AI use policies that include:
**what AI will and won’t be used for
**how accuracy will be maintained
**making a commitment to ethical standards
**being certain to disclose whenever AI is being used
**using AI only as a tool and not a replacement for human reporting
**being certain to protect the privacy of sources
**being sure to avoid potential copyright issues
Walsh said that journalists should consider AI as a “supportive technology” which enhances reporting but is not a substitute for human judgment, investigation and storytelling.
“Safety of Journalists and the Changing Environment"
Chris Post discussed the current threats, trends, and concerns of domestic U.S. journalists and what we can do to move forward, support our field crews, and provide a safe working environment for all staff and freelancers. He covered threat assessment and planning, low-resource reporting, civil unrest, hate groups, and crimes against the media.
Chris is the Executive Director of the International Media Support Group as well as an Emmy-winning photojournalist, media safety educator, and security advocate. He has a background of over 20 years in the emergency services sector. Chris has worked in positions ranging from Captain of the fire department at McMurdo Station in Antarctica to EMT at a regional level, to disaster emergency response with FEMA.
Chris transitioned to journalism in 2009 picking up the camera he always loved since learning analog photography in the 1980s. Chris is the 2020 recipient of the National Press Photographers Association’s second-highest award for advancing journalist safety and security initiatives.
Chris’s recent work includes the creation of a Domestic Hostile Environment first aid course for U.S.-based journalists, guest lecturing at multiple universities on media safety, chairing a national committee on press safety & security, and participating in panel discussions related to safe newsgathering around the world. Chris has also worked extensively in Beirut, Lebanon delivering multiple safety workshops to journalists from the Middle East and North Africa.
As a photojournalist, he has covered large events including the last two presidential inaugurations, multiple political convention cycles, and the Papal visit of 2010, major disasters including earthquakes in Puerto Rico, hurricanes in the Gulf states, and the politically turbulent protests of 2020.
Having a deep background in public safety and journalism allows Chris to assess, plan, and manage risks for newsgathering assignments. Whether providing safety training ahead of events or being embedded as part of a team for high-risk assignments, Chris enhances safety, security, and guidance for news organizations. Chris has worked as a safety adviser for major motion picture and television network projects.