Hofstra University
Model United Nations Conference 2025
United Nations Press Corps
Dear Delegates,
Hello, everyone, I am super excited to have all of you here at HUMUNC 2025! My name is Amber Bianchi, and I am a journalism and criminology major and business minor here at Hofstra. I am in my third year of studies, so a junior, and will be graduating next December. I was born and raised in Sicily, Italy and then spent most of the teenage years in the United States, in Cranston, Rhode Island.
Unlike most of you, I never participated in Model UN in high school, so, I love that there are many of you who will be learning important skills at HUMUNC before you get to college. I was surprised to find my home away from home at our Model UN club, where I am currently in my second term as public relations chair. While I continue to participate in this club because of the bonds I have made, I ultimately stayed because of the skills I learned, including public speaking and working cooperatively with others to achieve goals.
As a journalism major, I currently intern at NBC News in New York City. I work on the “NBC News Now” team with Tom Llamas. My favorite part of the job occurs when I can work on stories related to my interest in true crime. Another fun fact about me is the fact that I have a Russian tortoise in my dorm named Corn. Additionally, I am a Marvel nerd — Guardians of the Galaxy is my favorite movie series; Groot is my spirit tree. I also love Loki, and more especially the Disney+ series of the same name. Don’t ask me about anything Antman related, this concept freaks me out.
My interest in space has manifested in my Model UN experience, where many outside committees deal with space-related topics. For my first conference at NYU, I was in a historical joint crisis committee, which simulated the race to land on the moon. At the Princeton Model UN conference, I was a part of the Kessler Syndrome committee where I served as a representative of the Russian space agency. We were tasked with cleaning up space, which I did not accomplish, although I managed to annex China with the support of India.
My interest in journalism major led me to chair this specialized committee on the United Nations Press Corps to debate topics including journalistic ethics and how AI is used in journalism. Rest assured, there will be multiple opportunities to explore journalism in theory and practice.
Sincerely,
Amber Bianchi Press Corps Specialized Chair HUMUNC 2025
Introduction to Committee: The United Nations Press Corps
The United Nations Press Corps serves as the voice of journalism in the context of international affairs. The press delegates will represent global media outlets, each with their own unique editorial stance, and will play a critical role in reporting on discussions and decisions made during the conference. The challenge faced by delegates in this committee is multifaceted, as they are tasked with understanding the global need for free, unbiased press, while contending with the ethical challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), misinformation, and defamation claims against journalists and media companies.
The United Nations Press Corps, though not a traditional UN committee, will give delegates the opportunity to represent different facets of the global media that provide news coverage of the United Nations from its headquarters in New York. The primary goal of this committee is to examine complex issues from the perspective of different media outlets, whose political leanings and regional influences significantly affect their coverage. In doing so, the Press Corps encourages a broader conversation about how international standards for journalism can be developed and enforced.
Topic Overview: Journalism Ethics, AI, and Slander
Journalism Ethics in the Digital Age
Journalism, long celebrated as a pillar of democracy, is now grappling with new challenges in the face of widespread misinformation, sensationalism, and political bias. In the current landscape, traditional media outlets and independent journalists struggle to maintain the standards of accuracy, fairness, and accountability that have defined ethical reporting for decades.
The Society of Professional Journalists has developed a Code of Ethics to provide journalists with uniform guidelines to conduct their work. The Code of Ethics can be summarized as:
Seek Truth and Report It. This includes fact-checking, not intentionally distorting information, identifying sources, avoiding stereotypes, and supporting the open exchange of opinions.
Minimize Harm. This includes demonstrating compassion for sources and subjects of stories and protecting the privacy of individuals. Interestingly, the code makes no prohibition to interfere with national security.
Act Independently. This includes avoiding conflicts of interest and corruption, and resisting the attempts of advertisers and special [interest] groups to influence the news.
Be Accountable. This includes correcting mistakes, inviting criticism, and exposing unethical practices of the media.1
While this Code of Ethics was created from common principles used by journalists for decades, individual media outlets may adopt additional ethical rules for their journalists to follow.
Despite the development of ethical rules and practices, the rise of partisan media, both online and offline, has led to a distrust in news sources (see Figure 1).
Figure 1: Trends in PolitiFact statement accuracy across time2
Furthermore, the 2024 Edelman Trust Barometer found that less than forty percent of the global population trusts the media, with responses varying drastically across regions and political affiliations.3 Media outlets that might promote a political leaning in their editorial pages yet continue to promote balanced journalistic practices may still face criticism from political groups on the opposite side of the political spectrum, accusing them of bias. In one example of such an allegation, the CEO of NPR, Katherine Maher, was asked to appear at a hearing organized by the House Energy and Commerce Committee in May 2024. The Republican leadership of the House wanted her to answer questions about the apparent left-wing bias at NPR, a media outlet which receives federal funds.4 She declined to appear in this instance, but using government oversight to make accusations of bias against a news organization can further erode trust in the media.
Delegates in the Press Corps are tasked with navigating these challenges, balancing transparency and objectivity with the reality of political pressures. How can the press be an unbiased and reliable source in a fragmented media world? This is the question that underpins the debate on journalism ethics.
AI and Media: The Role of Technology in Journalism
Artificial Intelligence has become a defining force in modern media. AI tools, such as automated news generation and deepfake technologies, have revolutionized how stories are produced, distributed, and consumed. On the one hand, AI has the potential to streamline content creation, increase accessibility, and enhance the scope of investigative journalism. On the other hand, AI presents ethical concerns regarding its ability to create and spread disinformation, manipulate public opinion, and undermine journalistic integrity.
For example, AI-generated content, like automated news stories or opinion pieces created by AI algorithms, has the potential to shape narratives in subtle but powerful ways. For example, news headlines created by Apple Intelligence incorrectly summarized news stories from media outlets like the BBC and The New York Times, until it was shut down.5 Organizations that monitor press freedoms have called for AI-generated news summaries to be abandoned, citing the dangers they pose to the public’s confidence that they are receiving reliable news.
Reporters Without Borders [called] it ‘a danger to the public's right to reliable information on current affairs’ and the National Union of Journalists, one of the largest journalist unions worldwide, [emphasized that] ‘the public must not be placed in a position of second-guessing the accuracy of news they receive.’6
Media outlets, including The New York Times, have tried to reassure the public by publishing explanations of its AI usage. The New York Times explained that it uses AI to analyze data for reports, but that journalists ultimately produce all articles. It uses AI, however, to
generate drafts of headlines and article summaries and also direct website visitors to stories it thinks they would want to read — so AI is already having a wide-ranging influence over the reader’s experience.7 There are risks of AI perpetuating biases, especially if the way the underlying algorithms operate is not transparent or has not been designed to protect against advancing political or ideological biases.
The growing role of AI in media poses a critical question: how can we ensure that AIgenerated content adheres to the same ethical standards as human-generated journalism? Should AI be regulated only by the news organizations that use it, and if not, by whom? These are among the central issues being explored in the Press Corps.
Defamation and Free Speech: Finding Balance
The issue of defamation committed by the media is a long-standing issue in the history of both journalism and the law. Libel and slander are the most prominent forms of defamation that journalists can commit, where “[libel] generally refers to defamatory statements that are published or broadcast (more permanent) while slander refers to verbal defamatory statements (more fleeting).”8 In many jurisdictions, defamation laws exist to protect individuals from false and harmful statements that could damage their reputation. Although either form can be difficult to prove in court, some prominent defamation lawsuits have been advanced by public figures suing news organizations over claims of inaccurate or misleading reports.
In 2022, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a libel case against former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who claimed in two television news interviews that Netanyahu and his family were “mentally ill”. The remark was considered libel by the court because it was meant to defame the Netanyahu family members and was not backed by medical evidence.9 In
the seminal case for libel, New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, the U.S. Supreme Court, which established that “actual malice” had to be proven in statements published in the media for them to qualify as libelous.10 While the freedom of the press is enshrined in the laws of various countries, it is not absolute.
Defamation suits, while protecting individuals from false accusations, can also be used as a tool to suppress critical journalism. This creates a dilemma for journalists: how can they fulfill their duty to investigate, report, and criticize without fear of legal reprisal? Furthermore, in the age of social media, the amplification of potentially slanderous statements can occur at a much faster pace than traditional legal remedies can address.
Current Situation: The Pressing Need for Reform
In light of these issues, the current state of global journalism calls for significant reform. The convergence of AI technology with traditional news media has heightened the urgency of addressing ethical standards and combating misinformation. Changes to the public’s confidence in the media, particularly for political news, alongside of politicians’ use of courts to try to punish perceived enemies in the press, means more attention to be paid effective management of defamation cases.
Media Bias: A 2024 report from The Reuters Institute reveals that sixty-two percent of global news consumers believe media outlets are increasingly biased, with political affiliation playing a significant role in editorial decisions.11
AI Regulation: Governments and international bodies, including the EU and UNESCO, have begun discussing frameworks to regulate AI's use in media. However, there is no global consensus on how to address the issue. For example, UNESCO released a document in 2021 detailing their recommendations for regulations and definitions of AI. Some of the policy recommendations that the document outlines include regulations on the quality of the data used to train the learning algorithms, regulations on the energy usage of these large AI models, and regulations on the use cases for AI in different industries.12
Defamation Laws: High-profile lawsuits, such as those involving tech giants and media companies, highlight the ongoing struggle to balance the rights of individuals with the press's freedom to report on matters of public interest. Some examples include Stossel vs. Meta Platforms, Inc.13 over fact checking posts on Facebook (the case was dismissed in favor of Facebook in 2022), Trump Media & Tech. Group Corp. v. WP Co. LLC14 over an article in the Washington Post regarding the finances of the social media company owned by Donald Trump, Truth Social (the case was won by The Post in 2024)15.
Bloc Positions: Media Outlets’ Diverse Stances
The delegates to the UN Press Corps committee will each be assigned to represent a media outlet originating from different societies (where laws impact the way news is reported) and political orientations (often representing the viewpoints of the outlet’s ownership, whether government or private). A summary list of these diverse stances can be found below:
Western Liberal Democracies
Examples: The New York Times (Center-Left), BBC (Centrist), Fox News (Right-Wing)
These outlets are strong advocates for freedom of the press, transparency in AI reporting, and the responsible use of defamation laws to balance free speech with individual rights.
Authoritarian Regimes
Examples: RT (Russia Today), Global Times (China)
These outlets typically support state-controlled narratives, with less emphasis on press freedom and more focus on maintaining governmental power.
Developing Nations
Examples: The Hindu (India), Daily Nation (Kenya)
Media in these regions face unique challenges balancing media freedom with national security concerns and economic pressures.
Populist Democracies
Examples: Breitbart News (Far-Right), La Nación (Argentina)
These outlets often emphasize anti-globalism and challenge mainstream media narratives, advocating for press freedom that supports nationalistic or populist agendas.
Delegates will also work together to prepare news reports on the proceedings of other HUMUNC. This will allow delegates to practice their journalism skills at observation, research,
interviewing, and writing. Further instructions will be provided at HUMUNC at the start of our committee meetings.
Conclusion
The future of journalism depends on finding a sustainable balance between ethics, innovation, and accountability. As AI continues to transform the media landscape, outlets must embrace technology while ensuring that their core principles of truth, fairness, and transparency remain intact. Furthermore, international frameworks that govern defamation, media bias, and AI in journalism are essential to creating a fair and transparent media ecosystem. The United Nations Press Corps will play a crucial role in shaping these debates, ensuring that the voice of the press continues to serve the public good and hold power accountable in an increasingly complex media environment.
Questions to Consider
1. How can media outlets balance their responsibility to provide fair and unbiased reporting while facing political pressure and financial incentives to cater to particular audiences?
2. Should AI-generated content be regulated by international law, national laws, industry groups, or a combination? How can AI be used ethically with regulations that do not stifle further innovation?
3. What role do defamation laws play in protecting reputations versus protecting journalistic freedoms? Should international standards be created to manage these conflicting interests?
4. What are the Ethical Guidelines of your news organization?
5. What is your news organization’s policy on the use of AI-generated stories and images? Is AI used for opinion pieces as well as news stories?
Endnotes
1 Crichton, Danny, et al. “Journalism in the Digital Age a project for CS181.” https://cs.stanford.edu/people/eroberts/cs181/projects/201011/Journalism/index16e4.html?page_id=24
2 Schlicht, Erik J. “Characteristics of Political Misinformation Over the Past Decade.” Misinformation Monitor (2024). https://arxiv.org/html/2411.06122v1
3 Edelman Trust Barometer. (2024). Global Trust in Media: A Decline in Credibility. Edelman. https://www.edelman.com/trust-barometer
4 Elkind, Elizabeth. Fox News. (2024) “House Republicans summon NPR CEO for hearing on 'rampant' bias allegations.” May1, 2024. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/house-republicanssummon-npr-ceo-for-hearing-rampant-bias-allegations
5 Reilley, Liam. "Apple is pulling its AI-generated notifications for news after generating fake headlines" CNN. January 17, 2025. https://abc7ny.com/post/apple-is-pulling-ai-generatednotifications-news-generating-fake-headlines/15810860/
6 Ibid.
7 The New York Times. October 17, 2024. “How the New York Times Uses AI Journalism.” https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/07/reader-center/how-new-york-times-uses-aijournalism.html
8 PBS. "PBS Standards: Defamation." https://www.pbs.org/standards/media-law101/defamation/
9 BBC. “Israel PM-designate Netanyahu wins libel case against ex-PM Olmert “https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-63703231. November 21, 2022
10 The Martin Luther King, Jr. Research and Education Institute, Stanford University. "New York Times Co. v. Sullivan, 376 U.S. 254." https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/new-york-times-cov-sullivan-376-us-254
11 Newman, Nick. Reuters Institute. “Overview and key findings of the 2024 Digital News Report.” https://reutersinstitute.politics.ox.ac.uk/digital-news-report/2024/dnr-executivesummary
12 UNESCO. “Recommendation on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence.” May 16, 2023. https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/recommendation-ethics-artificial-intelligence
13 Climate Case Chart (2021) Stossel v. Meta Platforms, Inc. https://climatecasechart.com/case/stossel-v-facebook-inc/
14 Everson, Zach. Forbes. “Trump’s Social-Media Business Sues Washington Post, Seeking $3.8 Billion In Damages.” May 25, 2003.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/zacheverson/2023/05/23/trumps-social-media-business-sueswashington-post-seeking-38-billion-in-damages/
15 Volokh, Eugene. “Trump Media & Technology Group Loses Lawsuit Against Washington Post Over Story About Trump Social Deal.” Reason. December 23, 2024.
https://reason.com/volokh/2024/12/23/trump-media-technology-group-loses-lawsuit-againstwashington-post-over-story-about-trump-social-deal/