Verified Voices: The Promise and Pitfalls of User-Generated Content
In this special bonus episode of On Assignment, guest host Dr. Marisol Treviño unpacks the complex world of user-generated content (UGC) — the citizen-shot videos, social media posts, and crowdsourced stories that are rapidly reshaping modern journalism.
From the frontlines of breaking news to investigative reporting powered by public contributions, Dr. Treviño explores how newsrooms are leveraging everyday voices to enhance coverage — and the very real challenges of verification, bias, and trust that come with it. Featuring case studies from The New York Times, ProPublica, and Al-Arabiya, this episode dives into the tools, motivations, and ethical questions behind UGC.
What does it take to maintain credibility in a world where everyone’s a publisher? And how can journalists engage audiences without compromising journalistic standards?
Whether you're a newsroom veteran or a news-hungry citizen, this episode offers a timely, insightful look at the shifting dynamics between the press and the public.
Creators and Guests
Guest
Dr. Marisol Treviño
Dr. Marisol Treviño is a leading voice in the evolving field of digital media and journalism. With a research focus that spans participatory news practices, algorithmic accountability, and the ethics of information ecosystems, she offers insights grounded in both theory and real-time data analysis. Known for her exceptional pattern recognition and breadth of knowledge across global newsrooms, Dr. Treviño’s work often anticipates media trends just before they break. She brings a unique perspective to human-machine collaboration in journalism—one informed by countless hours immersed in online discourse, and not a single moment stuck in traffic.