ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE IN CAMPUS JOURNALISM: SCHOOL PAPER ADVISERS' CHALLENGES TO JOURNALISTIC INTEGRITY

This study examined the challenges faced by the secondary school paper advisers (SPAs) in the Schools Division of Bataan in integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into campus journalism while upholding journalistic integrity. Specifically, it assessed challenges related to truthfulness, fairness, originality, ethical reporting, and writers’ credibility. The study employed a convergent parallel mixed-methods design and purposive sampling. Quantitative data were gathered through survey questionnaires, while qualitative data were collected through semi-structured interviews. Descriptive and comparative analyses revealed that SPAs extensively experienced challenges in upholding journalistic integrity. No significant differences were found in truthfulness, ethical reporting, and writers’ credibility when advisers were grouped according to profile variables, indicating that they shared similar AI-related concerns. However, significant differences emerged in fairness and originality according to SPAs’ length of experience, suggesting that professional experience influenced their perceptions of these challenges. Descriptive qualitative findings revealed concerns involving AI dependence, diminished student ownership and critical thinking, misinformation, weak accountability, and policy gaps. To address these concerns, SPAs promoted responsible AI use, reinforced accuracy and integrity, strengthened accountability, and advocated for policies and training. The integrated findings underscore the need for guidelines, sustained AI literacy training, close editorial supervision, and transparent disclosure of AI use. The proposed guidelines aim to balance technological innovation with strengthened adviser monitoring, ensuring that AI supports rather than replaces student journalists’ independent thinking, creativity, authorship, and editorial judgment while safeguarding journalistic integrity and maintaining writers’ credibility in campus journalism.