How is Reach, the publisher of The Mirror and the Daily Express, cracking down on fake AI ‘experts’? PRWeek’s latest podcast takes a look.

Our guest on Beyond the Noise this week is David Higgerson, chief content officer at Reach.

Beyond the Noise looks at some of the biggest issues affecting communications and PR. Download the podcast via Apple, Spotify, or listen on your favourite platform.

The Mirror and Daily Express publisher last month confirmed it was compiling a directory of trusted PR agencies, and considering blocking emails from domains it doesn’t trust, to stop the rise of fake AI ‘experts’. It followed a series of high-profile incidents reported by Press Gazette in which media titles, some owned by Reach, inadvertently quoted ‘experts’ in articles who were later exposed as fake.

Speaking to PRWeek UK editor John Harrington, Higgerson discusses how widespread the problem of fake ‘experts’ being put forward as case studies has become in the age of AI.

He talks through what Reach has been doing as part of its crackdown, including how the publisher is using AI itself to tackle the problem, and the importance of strong journalist/PR relationships.

Higgerson tells the podcast there is “no danger” of legimate comms professionals being prevented from contacting Reach journalists as part of the actions.

Separately, he discusses other recent developments at Reach, whose stable also includes OK! magazine, the Daily Star and a host of regional newspapers. This includes the growth in specialist video roles, how Reach journalists are using AI, and the impact of Google AI summaries on traffic.

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