The News Media Coalition (NMC) has submitted its response to the UK government’s consultation on AI and copyright, emphasising the urgent need to protect Primary Source Journalism (PSJ) from unlicensed AI use. Representing major news publishers and agencies, NMC warns that government policy must uphold copyright and prevent the unchecked use of journalistic content by AI companies.
PSJ – ranging across first hand news reporting and witness journalism, photography and video newsgathering including at major organised sporting and cultural events – requires significant investment, expertise, and ethical oversight. This form of journalism underpins public knowledge, accountability, and historical record. However, the increasing use of news content by AI systems, often without consent or remuneration, threatens this model.
NMC highlights a number of risks:
- AI companies using news content without permission, undermining licensing agreements.
- The potential for misinformation, as demonstrated by a BBC study where AI tools introduced factual errors in nearly 20% of cases citing BBC content.
- The inability of AI-generated outputs to comply with legal and ethical standards that govern professional journalism.
The coalition urges the UK government to prioritise robust licensing frameworks, ensuring transparency and fair compensation for news organisations. Without strong safeguards, the economic viability of journalism could be undermined, reducing the capacity for high-quality, on-the-ground reporting.
For journalism to continue serving the public interest, NMC calls for policies that reinforce existing copyright protections, prevent AI systems from freely harvesting news content, and support the long-term sustainability of professional newsgathering.
