Master - Media and Technology Ma

MTM Selected Issues 1:

Democracy-Relevant Journalism in the Era of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Master - WS '25/'26

C. Loebbecke

2 SWS, 6 CP

Fridays, 12:00 - 5:30 pm

First Session: Oct. 24,'25

Location: Lecture Hall XVIII (main building)

Held in English

Registration via KLIPS during the first and second registration periods!

We will upload some short video links after the 2nd registration period and expect students to have watched the videos before the first session;
in which we will outline the course, its lines of arguments and the viewpoints of the videos.

Overview

This is a master level discussion course! The focus is on the impact of deploying Sensors, Algorithmic News, Artificial Intelligence, and Deepfakes in journalism. You will not need any technological experience, but should be open to think through and discuss openly.

We will understand and reflect the main punch line from a portfolio of 2020 summarizing research presentations on 'Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Management' given 2020 at the - general, by no means media-focused – Academy of Management Conference. We will then select relevant discussion elements that we can examine and discuss in light of publishing journalistic content and the underlying aim to secure 'democracy-relevant journalism'. Similarly, we will get practitioner input (presentation, visit) on AI for content provision in journalistic media and, again, reflect and discuss it in perspective against our earlier insights.

As we will offer a broad range of considerations, both for AI and management and for journalistic production, students can shape the focus of our discussion after having read and heard the material. During the course sessions, we will have a grounded discussion among students on the cutting edge topics - transferring our arguments to journalism. The idea is to develop and fine-tune one's arguments and line of thinking while being aware of rather contrasting insights and thoughts. The idea is NOT to know who said what and repeat anybody's text or words.

Hence, the main learning goals are (1) using academic research to understand contrasting views on AI in journalism, (2) transfer cutting edge technological developments to academic lines of arguments (here: around journalistic content); and (3) develop one's own thoughts / opinions (not technical solutions!) and back those up with academic arguments.

We will hand out the task for the seminar paper during the first session; it will builD on the then fixed session schedule. The seminar paper will be a guided integration of previously covered course material. The more students will get out of the concentrated course sessions, the easier and faster the paper writing will be. We will also specify the course test in the first session; all material for the test will be assigned and discussed during the course sessions.

Dates

Oct. 24, Nov. 07, Nov. 21, Dec. 05, Dec. 19 – all in '25 – max. (!) 5 sessions, all likely ending much earlier than 5:30 pm, details in the first meeting.

Course Grading

Grading will be based on

- 80%: Seminar paper

- 20%: Final Examination

It is required to at least 'pass' (grade 4.0 or better) each grading element for passing the course.

'Alle Prüfungselemente müssen mindestens bestanden sein.'

Required Course Registration:

(1) Register for the course via KLIPS during the first and second registration period!

(2) Register for the exam on KLIPS by Oct. 27, '25.

For any course related questions, please contact claudia.loebbecke<at>uni-koeln.de from your sMail account.