Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Ressa and veteran journalist Karen Davila come together for a wide-ranging conversation on journalism, democracy, disinformation and the growing challenges facing people who rely on the news to understand an increasingly complicated world.
The discussion brings together two of the Philippines’ most recognisable journalists at a time when trust in traditional media is being tested by social media, artificial intelligence and the rapid spread of misleading information.
For Ressa, the battle is about far more than journalism itself. The co-founder and chief executive of Rappler has spent years warning about how technology platforms can amplify lies, manipulate public opinion and weaken democratic institutions.
Her concerns gained international attention after she became the first Filipino to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, sharing the 2021 award with Russian journalist Dmitry Muratov for their efforts to safeguard freedom of expression.
Ressa has repeatedly argued that the information environment has changed the nature of power. False information can now travel faster than carefully reported facts, while algorithms can determine which stories and narratives reach millions of people.
That creates a particularly difficult environment for journalists.
News organisations are expected to move quickly, but speed can come at the expense of verification. At the same time, audiences are increasingly exposed to content that looks like journalism but may have been produced without professional editorial standards.
Davila, one of the Philippines’ most experienced broadcast journalists, represents another generation of news media that has had to adapt to these changes.
The conversation reflects the dramatic transformation of journalism from a world dominated by newspapers and television networks into one where audiences consume news through social platforms, video clips, podcasts and algorithm-driven feeds.
That transformation has created opportunities for journalists to reach wider audiences, but it has also made it harder to establish what information can be trusted.
Artificial intelligence is adding another layer of complexity.
Generative AI can produce convincing text, images, audio and video at unprecedented speed. While the technology can help journalists research, analyse information and produce content more efficiently, it can also be used to create sophisticated misinformation and impersonate real people.
The result is an information environment where audiences increasingly need to question not only what they are seeing, but also who created it and why.
For journalists, that means credibility is becoming an increasingly valuable asset.
Facts must be checked, sources scrutinised and claims placed in context. The role of journalism is no longer simply to deliver information first; it is also to help audiences distinguish reliable information from manipulation.
The stakes are particularly high in the Philippines, where social media plays a major role in political communication and public debate.
Ressa has long highlighted the relationship between online platforms, political influence and disinformation. Her experiences have also illustrated the risks faced by journalists who challenge powerful interests.
But the conversation is not solely about the threats.
It is also about the responsibility of journalists and media organisations to rebuild trust.
That requires transparency, accountability and a willingness to acknowledge mistakes. It also requires journalism to remain accessible to audiences who may increasingly turn to social media personalities, influencers or algorithmically generated content for information.
The future of journalism may therefore depend on its ability to combine the speed and reach of new technology with the standards that have traditionally defined professional reporting.
For Ressa and Davila, the challenge is ultimately larger than the survival of a particular media format. It is about preserving the public’s ability to access reliable information and make informed decisions.
As technology continues to transform the way people communicate, the fundamental question remains the same: who controls the information people see, and can the public still tell the difference between truth and manipulation?
That question is becoming increasingly urgent — and it places journalists, technology companies, governments and audiences themselves at the centre of a global fight over the future of truth.
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