AI writing tools can save journalists significant time on research, preparation, and editorial tasks — but only when the prompts are specific and the output is treated as a starting point, not a finished product. The prompts below are designed for Australian journalism contexts and cover the most common tasks in a professional workflow.

Important Note on Accuracy

Every AI output used in journalism must be verified against primary sources before publication. AI tools can produce confident-sounding errors, outdated information, and fabricated details. These prompts are for research assistance, preparation, and drafting — not for generating publishable facts.

Research and Background Prompts

Get background on a topic:

"Give me background on [topic] relevant to an Australian audience. Include: key context, main stakeholders, recent developments, and the most important questions journalists should be asking. Flag anything I should verify independently."

Understand a technical subject:

"Explain [technical topic] in plain language for a journalist who needs to understand it well enough to report on it accurately. Include the key concepts, common misconceptions, and what experts in the field typically disagree about."

Identify story angles:

"I'm covering [topic/event] for an Australian audience. Suggest five different story angles — ranging from hard news to feature to analysis. For each angle, suggest the key questions to answer and the types of sources to seek."

Research interview subjects:

"I'm interviewing [type of person/role] about [topic]. What background should I know before the interview? What are the key issues in their field right now? What questions might they be reluctant to answer?"

Interview Preparation Prompts

Generate interview questions:

"I'm interviewing [person/role] about [topic] for [publication type]. Generate twenty interview questions, ranging from factual to analytical to challenging. Include follow-up prompts for the most important questions."

Prepare for a press conference:

"I'm attending a press conference about [topic/event]. What are the key questions I should try to ask? What background do I need to understand the likely announcements? What follow-up questions should I prepare?"

Prepare for a difficult interview:

"I'm interviewing [type of person] who is likely to be defensive about [topic]. Suggest strategies for getting useful answers, and draft questions that are direct but fair. Include follow-up approaches if they deflect."

Story Structure and Writing Prompts

Create a story outline:

"I'm writing a [type of story] about [topic] for [publication]. Create a story outline with: lead, nut graf, key sections, supporting evidence needed, and suggested conclusion. The story should be approximately [word count] words."

Write a news lead:

"Write three different lead options for a news story about [event/development]. Each lead should answer the key who/what/when/where/why questions but use a different approach — straight news, anecdotal, and scene-setting."

Write a headline:

"Write ten headline options for a story about [topic]. Include a mix of straight news headlines, feature headlines, and digital-optimised headlines. Keep them under 70 characters where possible."

Social Media and Digital Prompts

Write social media posts:

"Write social media posts for a story about [topic]. Create: one Twitter/X post (under 280 characters), one LinkedIn post (professional, 100 words), and one Facebook post (conversational, 80 words). Include a call to action to read the full story."

Write a newsletter summary:

"Summarise this story for a daily news newsletter: [paste story or key points]. The summary should be 80-100 words, capture the key facts, and give readers a reason to click through to the full story."

Editorial and Administrative Prompts

Write a pitch:

"Help me write a story pitch for [publication] about [topic]. The pitch should include: the story idea, why it matters to the publication's audience, what makes it timely, what sources I plan to interview, and the proposed length and format."

Summarise a long document:

"Summarise the key points of this document for a journalist covering [topic]: [paste document or key sections]. Identify the most newsworthy elements, any surprising or significant findings, and questions the document raises."

Draft a correction:

"Help me draft a correction for a story that contained the following error: [describe error]. The correction should be clear, factual, and appropriately prominent. It should acknowledge the error without being defensive."

Getting Started with AI as a Journalist in Australia

The best way to begin is to identify one repetitive task that consumes significant time each week. For most journalists, that is either documentation, client communication, or research. Start with a free tool like ChatGPT or Google Gemini, and test it on a low-stakes task before rolling it out across your practice or business.

Once you are comfortable with the basics, consider tools purpose-built for your profession. Otter.ai, Descript, and Grammarly are used by Australian journalists for transcription, audio editing, and copy refinement. These platforms are designed with journalist workflows in mind and often integrate with the software you already use.

Practical Tips for Journalists Using AI

Start with prompts, not platforms. Before subscribing to any paid tool, spend time learning how to write effective prompts. A well-crafted prompt in a free tool will outperform a poorly used paid platform every time.

Keep the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance (MEAA) and the Australian Press Council compliance front of mind. AI tools do not automatically know your professional obligations. Always review AI-generated content against your regulatory requirements before using it with clients or submitting it to any authority.

Use AI for drafts, not finals. The most effective journalists use AI to produce a first draft quickly, then apply their professional judgement to refine it. This approach saves time without sacrificing quality or accuracy.

Document your AI use. As AI becomes more common in professional settings, keeping a record of how and when you use it protects you if questions arise later. This is especially important in regulated professions.

Transcribing an Interview: A Practical Example

Consider a journalist who needs to transcribe a recorded interview and identify the five most quotable statements. Traditionally this might take an hour or more. With AI, the same task can be completed in fifteen to twenty minutes by using a structured prompt that includes the relevant context, the desired output format, and any specific requirements.

The result still needs professional review — but the time saving is significant. Across a working week, this kind of efficiency gain adds up to several hours that can be redirected to higher-value work or client-facing time.

The Bottom Line for Australian Journalists

Australian journalists who have adopted AI tools consistently report three main benefits: faster turnaround on routine tasks, improved consistency in documentation and communications, and more time available for the work that actually requires their expertise.

The key is to approach AI as a capable assistant rather than a replacement for professional judgement. Used this way, it becomes one of the most valuable tools available to any journalist operating in Australia today.