Turning journalistic value into leverage

The rapid rise of artificial intelligence (AI) has sent shockwaves through the global media landscape, further accelerating the crisis of independent journalism. As generative models ingest vast archives of reporting to provide automated responses, publishers are facing an existential threat. However, there are ways for journalists and publishers to survive—and even thrive—in the age of AI. Six experts from Latin America and the United States share their insights.

From rivals to partners: Collaboration is reshaping journalism

For decades, fierce competition between newsrooms was seen as a defining feature of journalism. Yet as investigations become more complex, data-intensive, and often transnational, many reporters are rethinking that approach. Brazilian investigative journalist Juliana dal Piva, columnist for ICL Notícias, who has worked on major cross-border investigations, argues that collaboration is increasingly essential in the age of AI.

"It doesn't make much sense for most newsrooms to work on big themes as islands," she says. Instead, journalists need to share resources, systems and expertise across organizations.

In practical terms, collaboration means moving beyond institutional identities. A core principle is sharing information, dal Piva explains, because "things that at the beginning might not interest the reporters end up being of interest. To support this model, participating reporters use shared and secure digital tools."

Cooperation often generates unexpected storylines. The benefits are immediate: Broader perspectives, better reporting, and a greater ability to uncover stories that no single newsroom could pursue alone.

Unmasking the giants: Investigative research on Big Tech lobbying

According to critics, the activities of large technology companies in the digital sphere affect not only journalism, but also society as a whole, including repercussions on democratic stability and mental health. The transnational investigation Big Tech’s invisible hand, coordinated by Agência Pública in Brazil and CLIP, the Center for Law, Integrity, and Policy in Costa Rica, exposed the tactics used by tech giants to stall regulation worldwide. In total, 17 media outlets from around the world participated in the project. They also partnered with scholars to map nearly 3,000 lobbying activities—such as revolving doors between the companies and regulators, lavish gifts for political decision-makers or astroturfing, the use of fake civic campaigns to influence public opinion.

Natalia Viana, co-founder and executive director of Agência Pública, argues that "the fight for regulation is the most crucial battle of our time." Viana notes that the same playbook that stalled Brazil's "Fake News Bill" (the 2020 Proposal for a Law on Freedom, Responsibility, and Transparency on the Internet) was later used in Australia, Canada, and the United States. In fact, the investigation found that Big Tech companies had been successfully slowing down regulatory debates in different countries around the world.

The project raises important questions about the relationship between media companies and major digital platforms. This is especially relevant when news organizations depend on negotiated agreements and revenue-sharing mechanisms, like Australia's pioneering News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code, enacted in March 2021. These dependencies can create an incentive to cooperate with platforms instead of consistently scrutinizing them. Only through in-depth investigative reporting can society hold anonymous lobbyists responsible and counter the influence of Big Tech companies on public policy.

Media outlets can control access to their content

Media outlets must regain their bargaining power by controlling how their content is accessed and used, experts stress. "AI systems are increasingly becoming the go-to source for information," says Matt Prewitt, co-founder of the California-based RadicalxChange Foundation. Therefore, journalists must control how their information enters these systems.

Instead of focusing solely on short-term licensing agreements, publishers should invest in their own infrastructure, Prewitt says. "This will have a disproportionately large impact in the medium and long term," he argues. There is already evidence that this approach can be effective. The non-profit organization OpenMined aims to give media outlets greater control over their content, including the ability to charge for its use without intermediaries.

Through the open-source Syft protocol developed by OpenMined, news publishers can collectively manage access, set prices, and license content with regard to AI companies. This model is currently being tested in Indonesia, where publishers are pooling their bargaining power. Prewitt believes this is essential: "The currency for Big Tech is the quality of information [...] professionally reported, fact-based journalism is precisely what AI systems require." Only by controlling access to this content can publishers fully monetize its value.

Instead of waiting for the audience, follow it!

Many journalists still assume that audiences should come to them. Elizabeth Otálvaro Vélez, co-director of the Colombian participatory journalism outlet Mutante, challenges this mindset. Rather than expecting people to engage on their terms, Mutante focuses on meeting communities where they are.

Mutante developed a comment library that brings together suggestions, questions, and discussions from readers. This allows the newsroom to better understand which issues matter most to its audiences and shape its journalism accordingly.

The comment library is a dedicated infrastructure that provides autonomy over data and technology. This approach gives Mutante a way to manage audience data. The result is a stronger, more meaningful relationship with audiences; one that is built on ongoing dialogue rather than one-way communication. Inspired by the library, other leading investigative outlets are keen to expand their qualitative audience intelligence and move beyond the basic metrics offered by Google Analytics.

Building strong alliances

One of the main concerns for media organizations, especially independent outlets, is how AI companies have appropriated their content without providing any compensation. This issue drives Ester Borges, research director at the Journalism and Tech Task Force Momentum.

She believes that the main concern should not be the replacement of human labor by AI, but rather the capture of journalistic work by large tech corporations.

As a way out of technological dependence, Borges advocates for collective action to build coalitions that include journalists, artists, researchers, civil society, and technologists.

Borges attributes Brazil's recent successes in regulation and case law to the lobbying efforts of digital rights advocates and a corresponding legal framework: In 2014, the Brazilian internet civil rights framework was adopted. The Marco Civil da Internet provided journalists with stronger legal protection for publishing online and for safeguarding confidential sources, laying the groundwork for the public debate on regulation in Brazil over the past decade. Back then, "numerous hearings were held on the Marco Civil, during which new alliances emerged." The experience showed: Building coalitions requires a strategic view of potential entry points and a great deal of perseverance.

The power to say No

Without a strong economic foundation and a loyal audience, publishers have little leverage when negotiating with powerful technology companies. They are likely to end up with little more than scraps from the table.

La Diaria in Uruguay is a compelling example of how to build that leverage. Supported by around 23,000 subscribers who provide roughly 90% of its funding, the outlet has achieved a high degree of financial independence.  

According to Pedro Copelmayer, project manager at La Diaria, this allows the organization to negotiate with technology companies on its own terms. "We need to establish our own economic sustainability so that, when Google, OpenAI, or others come knocking, we can confidently decline," he says.

Copelmayer explains: "We reached a fair agreement because we negotiated from a position of strength, not need," he says. "It's hard to say no when a platform arrives and you're struggling to pay staff salaries and keep the organization running." In fact, La Diaria is currently involved in legal proceedings against one of the largest AI providers for their unethical use of journalistic content without authorization. Copelmayer concludes that the debate over AI and platform power is inseparable from the debate over media business models.

How can journalism thrive in a dynamic tech environment?

These experiences reveal a common lesson: The future of journalism in the AI era will not be determined by technology alone but by how effectively media organizations are organized. Whether through collaborating across borders, holding Big Tech accountable through research, investing in independent infrastructure, cultivating deeper audience relationships or building broad alliances, the goal remains the same: Reclaiming power in an information ecosystem that is increasingly dominated by a few players.

AI may be changing the rules of the game, but journalism still possesses a critical asset: Producing trustworthy, high-quality information. The challenge now is to turn that value into collective leverage.

This text is based on the results from a workshop organized by DW Akademie and the Brazilian Association of Digital Journalism (AJOR) during the Festival 3i in Rio de Janeiro from 29 to 31 May, 2026. The festival brought together journalists, researchers, entrepreneurs, students, and media innovators to discuss the future of independent journalism.

Luiza Cilente is a journalist, community communicator, and researcher. She works in the Latin America department at DW Akademie and is currently involved in the Digital Forest Community Network project. The project promotes strengthening the visibility of traditional Amazonian territories through meaningful connectivity.

Cletus Gregor Barié is team coordinator for Advocacy and Public Affairs at DW Akademie. As a trained social anthropologist and organizational consultant, he focuses on helping media organizations recover agency, strengthen their bargaining power, and navigate technological transformation. He believes that the degradation of information ecosystems poses a global threat to humanity, akin to the massive extinction of species, and therefore requires urgent global and local action.