A comparative study of policy pathways for AI and immersive journalism
Empowering news media through regulatory innovation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 19489495 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Nicholas Nicoli (0000-0002-7349-4617, University of Nicosia), Soulla Louca (0000-0001-5280-2775, University of Nicosia) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 17 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 101-125 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Digital Media & Policy (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 2516-3523 • E-ISSN: 2516-3531 |
| Publisher | Intellect (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1386/jdmp_00200_1 |
| OpenAlex | W7161238224 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 27 |
The rise of artificial intelligence and immersive journalism promises engaging storytelling but also deepens platform dependence, economic fragility and ethical uncertainty for news media. This article compares six policy pathways that could rebalance power in the digital information environment: public-interest AI grants, alternative revenue schemes, regulatory sandboxes, decentralized infrastructures, algorithmic transparency mandates and deepfake accountability policies. Drawing on cases from the European Union, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, it evaluates how each mechanism addresses editorial autonomy, financial resilience and public trust. Findings suggest that layered, reinforcing policies are essential: grants and revenue redistribution provide resources for experimentation, sandboxes and transparency rules align technological design with societal values, while decentralization and content verification enhance authenticity and pluralism. The study concludes that policy coherence, cross-sector coordination and assessment are pre-conditions for ensuring that algorithmic and immersive technologies serve democratic communication within an increasingly saturated information landscape
Accountability · Corporate governance · Decentralization · Digital media · Journalism · Public policy · Revenue · Storytelling · Computational and Text Analysis Methods · Ethics and Social Impacts of AI · Media Studies and Communication
Artificial Intelligence and Journalism
Algorithmic Transparency in the News Media
Immersive Journalism
The role of virtual reality in enhancing behavioral empathy
The European AI Act and How It Matters for Research into AI in Media and Journalism
EU digital economy competition policy
Social Media, News Media, and the Democratic Deficit
Digital platforms and the future of news
In AI we trust? Perceptions about automated decision-making by artificial intelligence
Approaches to Qualitative Comparative Analysis and good practices
Internet regulation as media policy
Older adults' use of information and communications technology in everyday life
Facebook, news media and platform dependency
Assistance or Resistance? Evaluating the Intersection of Automated Journalism and Journalistic Role Conceptions
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |