View all newsletters
Sign up for our free email newsletters

Fighting for quality news media in the digital age.

  1. Publishers
  2. Digital Journalism
December 12, 2017updated 07 Nov 2023 5:58am

First robot-written stories from Press Association make it into print in ‘world-first’ for journalism industry

By Dominic Ponsford

The first robot-generated stories produced by Press Association have appeared in print in what is claimed to be a world-first for journalism.

RADAR – the automated news service set up by PA (the Press Association) and Urbs Media – has begun trialling computer-generateddata-driven content. The project is funded by a €700,000 grant from Google’s Digital News Initiative.

The plan is for the project to create 30,000 localised stories a month from data using Natural Language Generation software to write them automatically.

Press Association said: “RADAR has at its heart a team of reporters finding interesting stories in open data sets, then writing these stories and crafting NLG templates to localise them for hundreds of markets. The project builds out from this core to develop advanced database and distribution tools.”

A closed pilot began at the end of November, involving 35 regional titles from 14 publishing groups including Archant, Independent News and Media, Iliffe Media, Johnston Press, Newsquest, Midland News Association and Trinity Mirror.

Multiple versions of four stories were distributed in the first week of copy testing. The first focussed on trends in birth registrations across the UK, specifically how many children were registered by married, cohabiting or single parents, based on figures from the Office of National Statistics.

This was followed by stories on cancelled operations across England extracted from NHS data, a breakdown on social mobility and life chances for disadvantaged children based on data from the government’s Social Mobility Commission, and localised Department of Transport data on average A Road delays.

Press Association said that stories have already appeared in 20 daily and weekly titles, both online and in print.

Gary Rogers, editor-in-chief at Urbs Media, said: “We believe these are the first automated local news stories published in established news brands anywhere in the world.

“We’re delighted to be up and running with a great user group who are already helping to steer our thinking on the topics and style of the stories we generate.”

Press Association editor Pete Clifton said: “I’m pleased to see our customers actively engaging with the content. Their feedback is providing us with valuable insights as we scale up production to reach our target of 30,000 stories each month for a much broader user base.”

Links to PA’s first robot-authored news stories follow.

Births story publications:

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/wolverhampton/2017/11/29/majority-of-new-mothers-in-wolverhampton-are-unmarried/

https://www.southwalesargus.co.uk/news/15696111.Majority_of_Newport_mums_giving_birth_are_unmarried__figures_suggest/

https://www.warringtonguardian.co.uk/news/15697099.New_parents_in_Warrington_less_likely_to_be_married_than_average_UK_couple/

https://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/newS/15699717.Most_babies_are_still_born_to_married_parents_in_Bournemouth__figures_reveal/

https://www.wscountytimes.co.uk/news/data-reveals-if-mum-and-dad-are-the-marrying-type-in-horsham-1-8274341

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/15694398.Number_of_unmarried_mothers_in_Herefordshire_increases/

https://www.newsshopper.co.uk/news/15700216.Quarter_of_Lewisham_babies_born_into_single_parent_households_____birth_stats_reveal_state_of_families_in_SE_London/

https://www.northumberlandgazette.co.uk/news/more-new-mums-in-northumberland-are-unmarried-than-married-stats-reveal-1-8892389

https://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/married-mums-still-make-up-876416

https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/two-thirds-babies-were-born-879420

Topics in this article :

Email pged@pressgazette.co.uk to point out mistakes, provide story tips or send in a letter for publication on our "Letters Page" blog

Select and enter your email address Weekly insight into the big strategic issues affecting the future of the news industry. Essential reading for media leaders every Thursday. Your morning brew of news about the world of news from Press Gazette and elsewhere in the media. Sent at around 10am UK time. Our weekly dose of strategic insight about the future of news media aimed at US readers. A fortnightly update from the front-line of news and advertising. Aimed at marketers and those involved in the advertising industry.
  • Business owner/co-owner
  • CEO
  • COO
  • CFO
  • CTO
  • Chairperson
  • Non-Exec Director
  • Other C-Suite
  • Managing Director
  • President/Partner
  • Senior Executive/SVP or Corporate VP or equivalent
  • Director or equivalent
  • Group or Senior Manager
  • Head of Department/Function
  • Manager
  • Non-manager
  • Retired
  • Other
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how Progressive Media Investments may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
Thank you

Thanks for subscribing.

Websites in our network