Less tech, more human: How live journalism could help rebuild trust in the media

In summary

Public trust in journalism has been eroded by the collapse of local newspapers, shrinking newsroom budgets, and the rise of online misinformation. At the same time, many organisations are turning to artificial intelligence in reporting, further distancing audiences from the human presence of journalists.

Dr Glenda Cooper argues that the solution may lie in the opposite direction: ‘live’ journalism. By staging news in front of audiences, she believes journalism can be reconnected to its civic purpose, helping restore credibility and engagement.

What did we explore and how?

Dr Cooper is an academic and a journalist who was previously a staff journalist and editor at several international news organisations such as The Washington Post, The Independent and BBC Radio 4. She covered major events such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York and the 7/7 bombings in London, experiences that later informed her academic work on trauma and ethics in reporting.

At City St George’s, she teaches journalism students how to handle complex ethical dilemmas, such as approaching grieving families after a tragedy - a practice commonly known in the industry as a “death knock.”

Her research has turned to the decline of trust in journalism and how it might be rebuilt. As such she’s organised a number of live journalism events including one in Nottingham, inspired in part by historic practices such as the town crier but modernised for contemporary audiences.

The event featured performances of original, unpublished news stories, exploring topics such as:

• deep fakes
• refugees
• the history of the postcard

It also included breaking news updates from the day, including:

• coverage of the King’s D-Day visit to France
• Nottingham’s exclusion from a government fly-tipping campaign
• the final Women’s Super League match of the season.

Unlike traditional reporting, the event placed journalists directly in front of public audiences. It was described as “messy,” “real,” and “deeply democratic”. Undergraduate journalism students also contributed, giving them the opportunity to experiment with new forms of storytelling.

One observer said it was the first time in years they had felt genuine trust in the news. Dr Cooper emphasises that having journalists speak directly to audiences — without mediation by digital platforms or algorithms — fosters greater accountability and human connection.

Benefits and influence of this research

Dr Cooper’s research highlights the potential of live journalism to combat declining public trust in the media. By reintroducing journalists as visible and accountable figures, it reinforces the idea that news is not just a product, but a civic act.

For journalism students, this offers a model for more ethical and engaged reporting in an era dominated by digital content and automation.

Her work provides newsrooms with a framework for experimentation — one that relies less on automation and more on human presence. In public lectures, she has argued that journalism’s legitimacy now depends on its ability to show empathy, transparency, and civic responsibility.

Through both her research and teaching, Dr Cooper equips the next generation of journalists to balance accuracy with compassion, and to reconnect with audiences who feel increasingly alienated from mainstream news.

In a world where there are myriad sources of mis and disinformation, journalism is more vital than ever before.

When we allowed people to hear news first hand, have the chance to question our journalists, and contribute to the stories being told, we found they became much more engaged with the news, and then wanted to hear more.

It may seem counterintuitive to go back to an ancient method like the town crier, but it works!

I was first drawn to this kind of research as a former journalist and playwright who has thought a lot about different forms of storytelling.

Seeing people engage with stories and coming up with a solution which might help stop distrust in the media has been a really satisfying thing to do.