Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Former British Journalism Award Innovation -Winner Sophia Smith Galer Has launched an AIApp that aims to help journalists get more traction with their videos on social media.
Freelance journalist and digital consultant Smith Galer, as Previously worked for BBC News And vice and was one of the first British journalists who made waves on Tiktok, has created Sophiana, she says, halving the time it takes to create “algorithmic” videos.
Sophiana allows journalists and other content creators to connect their articles, research or notes so that the app can suggest several potential hooks and then a script that it believes will be reinforced by the algorithms and engage the audience on platforms including TikTok, Instagram rolls, youtube shorts and Linkedin.
Sophiana then has a teleprompter feature to help people film their videos.
Smith Galer told Press Gazette that she represents two main groups of users for the app. “I know that its use cases in journalism are huge – journalists really need a tool like this, and this is obviously where I came from so I would love it for journalists who want to strengthen their work on Tiktok and Instagram but have struggled so far.
“I hope this is headstart and the skills they have been waiting for them to probably not get from their news room, or maybe they are freelance.
“But in addition to journalists, I have spent a lot of time consulting many people who are not journalists, but who have fact information they want to share, high quality story they want to do on platforms. It is anyone with expertise, which is obviously a huge possible customer base.”
‘It’s time for the journalists’ Instagram and Tiktok to flourish’
Smith Galer noted that Last Reuters Institute Digital News Report The published last week revealed the proportion that consumes social video for news has risen over 48 international markets from 52% 2020 to 65% this year. The report noted that the publishers have “struggled to adapt journalistic content to a more informal space”.
Smith Galer said: “What I have always observed is, yes, there are news publishers – many and most now – that create some kind of video products for Tiktok and Instagram, but they are not necessarily counteract or actually meet the needs of the audience, which we know that Crave Influencers, personalities and you can not do it when you are a brand that publishes.
“The only people who can create content that meet these needs are individuals, which is exactly why twitter follows of journalists once in a while, and I think it is now time for the journalists’ Instagram and Tiktok follows to flourish as well. It is just that this transition from text to visual story can be difficult for many people.”
She added: “The increase in social videos as a news source will not end. It will only be bigger and bigger, and at the same time dominates online impactors essentially this narrative digital space where we should dominate.
“I don’t think anyone is better at digital story and preserves ethics while we do it than journalists are in theory, so this is not digital territory that we should ever have ceded.”
She said she investigated more than 100 journalists that she trained about two years ago and asked them why they do not currently do Tiktok videos. “It is not because they do not want to, it is because they either feel that they do not have time or if they do not have skills, and this is where I feel like AI help and a tool can really handle it because it will record production time.”
The Current version of the appAs has been made through Smith Galer’s digital consulting company Viralect, uses chatgpt-4o and a core prompt that she formulated based on her knowledge that creates popular videos. A later version will have its own previous video script to further improve the outcome.
Smith Galer won the innovation of this year’s prize At the British Journalism Awards 2021 For his groundbreaking work with Tikotk, which the judges described as “consistently engaging and witty while they always strictly fact -based and fresh. Their reach, reach and influence have been thoroughly impressive.”
The two priorities for the next development phase are: launch on Android as it is currently only available in the Apple App Store and adds non-English languages with Smith Gales aimed at Spanish, Arabic and French first.
“So much of my journalism and what people know me about is my love for language. And obviously I not only want this to be a tool that earns English speaking, but it costs money in development time to add new language versions … and I miss a huge market all over the world if I don’t go on Android.”
The app is free to download and try and then cost £ 5.99 for a month, £ 29.99 for six months or 49.99 £ for one year.
Smith Galer also invites news premises and other companies to get in touch if they want an internal Sophiana that may have additional features such as adding watermarks to videos or integrating their style guide.
Smith Gales injected some of their own cash but also received two sources of funding last year.
She Won the Georgina Henry Award for digital innovation run by women in journalismGets £ 4,000 in prize money. It was praised because “not only examines the commercial benefits of AI – this eponymous innovation is also devoted to combating disinformation”.
She too participated in a “design sprint” To develop the product with the international center for journalists, ensure $ 15,000 (£ 11,200) after posting for financing at the end of it.
As a recognition of women in journalism support, Smith Galer offers free Sophiana access for six months to ten female journalists in the UK who want to deal with error information on video, along with other education and resources from her.
E-mail pged@pressgazette.co.uk To point out mistakes, enter History Tips or submit a letter for publication on our “Letters Page” blog
