Patrick Woods helps spark investigation into NRL news website appearing to use AI to reproduce stories

A Townsville Bulletin journalist has sparked an investigation into a website appearing to use AI to rewrite stories and quotes about the NRL. Here’s what the investigation found.

Patrick Woods has been a catalyst for an ABC investigation into a website called League Initiative. Picture: Media Watch/Townsville Bulletin

A Townsville Bulletin journalist has sparked an investigation into a website appearing to use AI to rewrite stories and quotes about the NRL with another news organisation caught up in the crosshairs.

Patrick Woods, a sports reporter at this masthead, raised the alarm after he saw a number of his stories were badly rewritten, seemingly with artificial intelligence on a site called League Initiative.

Patrick Woods of the Townsville Bulletin. Patrick is the newspaper’s Cowboys reporter.

For Woods, it was not just about the integrity of his own journalism, but how AI could change the industry and the integrity of stories.

Since his tip-off a few weeks ago, Media Watch launched an investigation into League Initiative, and found it was linked to Australian Community Media lawyer James Raptis.

He has denied running the site, according to Media Watch host Paul Barry. But later admitted to hosting the sites.

“I have never written any of the content for them,” he said about League Initiative and a number of other sites he hosts.

The individuals running the site have not been identified.

Not long after the ABC started asking questions, the website was taken down and Raptis set his X, formerly known as Twitter, account to private.

The website had been appearing to use AI to rewrite Woods, and other journalists work with whatever program used also changing quotes.

The ABC highlighted one example in which Cowboys Football General Manager Michael Luck was quoted in Woods’ story saying:

“We believe he’s only just scratched the surface of his potential.”, however it was rewritten by the bot as “He’s nudged the iceberg but there’s so much more to come.”.

Woods said it was nice to see something being done about websites stealing content.

“It’s such an easy thing to do and a hard thing to stop, but it degrades the integrity of reporting and will lead to progressively weaker stories unless readers take a stance against it by refusing to click,” he said.

Cowboys head of football Michael Luck. Picture: Evan Morgan

The Townsville Bulletin relies on story “clicks” and subscriptions to keep reporters like Woods employed.

“AI journalism worries me because it removes the critical thinking and understanding of humanity that allows journalists to decide how to tell a story, the facts that need to be checked and the questions that need to be asked,” he said.

“The more prolific AI journalism becomes, I believe you will see more ‘news’ that is just regurgitated press releases and corporate spin with no checks and balances.

How League Initiative’s AI bot was briefed. Picture: Media Watch

The League Initiative bot rewrote quotes. Picture: Media Watch

“While it’s not always creative, journalism is an art and removing the human element takes away all interest and appreciation I have for it.”

The first time Woods saw his content being rewritten he was annoyed. He reported the post to Facebook, but nothing happened.

“These stories they were being shared widely online while my paywalled content had been left relatively unclicked,” he said.

“I had worked hard to get an exclusive interview with a player, made time to chat with them and piece together a story asking questions that others were desperate to hear answers to, and then it had just been stolen without credit.

“I reported any post I saw to Facebook for IP theft but it seemed like they were powerless or unwilling to do anything about it.”

Woods said it wasn’t just about AI degrading journalism, but issues the industry was experiencing with social media sites sharing headlines and stories as if they were their own.

“I also see ‘content amplifiers’ – I suppose is a nice way of putting it – in NRL circles who steal headlines and breaking news, throw it into a snazzy social media card and post it as if it’s their own,” Woods said.

“While they say it’s just adding to the discussion and propping up the sport, the reality is these sites and pages aren’t putting in the work, making contacts and asking questions to get their stories.

“The more sports coverage is watered down like this, the less real stories people will get. The clubs’ and governing bodies’ PR machines will run overdrive and the amplifiers and AI masses will welcome it with open arms before regurgitating it to the masses, who won’t even realise what they’re missing out on until it’s too late.”

Originally published as Patrick Woods helps spark investigation into NRL news website appearing to use AI to reproduce stories