Over the past decade, journalism has indeed undergone a significant transformation in print, broadcast, and, most notably, the online arena. This online space now delivers news and articles directly to the reader’s palm, condensed into capsule items for convenience.
The latest addition poised to revolutionise journalism is the advent of Artificial Intelligence. In this regard, Lalit Jha, a senior US-based Indian-origin journalist, has worked on evolving the ‘Virtual Newsroom System,’ dedicated to aiding and addressing the demands of journalists.
Jha collaborated with his son, Georgian computer scientist Om Jha, to patent it. This patent addresses concerns by providing a virtual newsroom system that streamlines content transactions within a unified platform, offering a straightforward solution for journalists and organisations to buy and sell content seamlessly in one integrated environment.
“Journalism is on the brink of transformative evolution,” said Jha, who is also the Chief US Correspondent of the Press Trust of India based in Washington.
This pioneering leap in journalism harnesses innovative AI and machine learning, utilising a virtual newsroom system to verify news authenticity. It maintains a database of media outlets, journalists, and topics.
When news is received, it assigns scores to each based on stored information and calculates an overall truth score, influencing how news is presented. Its goal is to revolutionise the industry, making high-quality content more accessible to media outlets and simplifying the pitching process for writers worldwide, said Lalit.
“Notably, 58 per cent of journalists prioritise content and news accuracy as their foremost concern. An additional 27 per cent focus on maintaining credibility and combating fake news. An additional 27 per cent focus on maintaining credibility and combating fake news,” Lalit adds.
Om Jha shared his perspective, stating, “When we envisioned this AI system, our goal was to improve operational efficiency and boost transparency across news, content creation, and dissemination.”
The Virtual Newsroom patent powers the innovative 5WH platform. What sets this patent apart is its AI-powered recommendation system, which brings an unprecedented level of efficiency to the media industry. The Virtual Newsroom system assesses submitted content with dynamic ratings to determine eligibility for registration. It further recommends search results through intricate keyword analysis, geographical relevance, and demographic makeup of the target audience. Simultaneously, it also features dynamic pricing to match publishers with content that fits their budgets.
Dr Raj S Davé, the team’s attorney, echoed the significance of this achievement, saying, “It has been a privilege to help the Jhas and 5WH secure such a unique patent. It is a significant moment for the media industry, which rarely sees technology-driven patents of this scope.”
As the media landscape undergoes a technological renaissance, 5WH, powered by the Virtual Newsroom patent, is poised to lead the way. This groundbreaking patent promises to bring a revolution in journalism, connecting journalists and editors through technology, ensuring that high-quality content reaches a global audience seamlessly. 5wh.com operates as a multilingual e-commerce platform where professional journalists can sell their ready-to-use products, services, and creative work to news media outlets.
The website has established a virtual newsroom through a unique blend of IT and human intelligence. The platform employs a stringent vetting process for journalists and uses multiple layers of quality control to ensure the delivery of reliable and authentic content to media outlets. The content offerings encompass a wide array of media types, including text, audio, photographs, videos, and animations.”
