Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein

Senior Research Manager

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Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein, PhD

Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein is the Senior Research Manager at the Center for News, Technology & Innovation. Most recently, they led the media research at Knology, an independent research organization. In that role, they built participatory collaborations with news organizations across the U.S. to support audience learning about topics ranging from inflation to the U.S. carceral system.

Jay has received NSF funding for their work with PBS News, and their research focuses on the changing role of media institutions in a time of rapid technological and social change.

While completing their Ph.D. in Anthropology from UCLA, they lived in Mexico for two years, where they studied the global communication infrastructure of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

They have published their research in leading journals (Language & Communication, Journalism Practice, Journalism Studies) and trade publications (Current), and their work has been covered by Nieman Lab.

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Recent Work & Appearances

Work

Events

Media

  • Action, Ease & Personalization: AI Chatbot News Experiences

    How habitual AI chatbot users in the US and India stay informed

  • Journalism’s New Frontier: An Analysis of Global AI Policy Proposals and Their Impacts on Journalism

    CNTI analyzed 188 national and regional AI strategies, laws and policies that collectively cover more than 99 countries to determine how AI regulation is impacting journalism around the world.

  • Most People in Four Countries Describe Journalists Positively

    Strong majorities in Australia, Brazil, South Africa and the US use only favorable terms to describe journalists’ traits

  • Journalists Who Face High Risks Require Better Security Practices to Provide News

    In 2024, at least 124 journalists were killed—the deadliest year on record. Press freedom faces escalating threats worldwide, from violence and restrictive laws to online harassment and surveillance, leaving journalists and their sources increasingly vulnerable and under-supported.

  • woman working on computer with government building in background. photo illustration.

    Qué significa hacer periodismo en la era de la IA: Opiniones de los periodistas sobre la seguridad, la tecnología y el Gobierno

    El 50 % informa haber sufrido una extralimitación del Gobierno en el último año, en un contexto donde las tecnologías transforman los ecosistemas informativos y la libertad de prensa enfrenta crecientes amenazas legales, políticas y económicas.

  • Qué quiere el público del periodismo en la era de la IA: una encuesta en cuatro países

    Tres cuartos o más de los encuestados valoran el papel del periodismo; más del 56 % dice que “la gente común” puede producir periodismo

  • Group of people looking at the sunrise out a window overlooking a city

    A Window into AI and Journalism in Africa: Perspectives from Journalists and the South African Public

    African journalists and the South African public express optimism about the impacts of technology on journalism, including AI

  • Americans Who Rely on Content Creators or Influencers for News Are Active Consumers Who Value the Role of Journalism in Society

    Many of the most active US news consumers rely on professional journalists alongside content creators and influencers

  • What the Public Wants from Journalism in the Age of AI: A Four Country Survey

    Three-quarters or more value journalism’s role; 56%+ say “everyday people” can produce it

  • woman working on computer with government building in background. photo illustration.

    What It Means to Do Journalism in the Age of AI: Journalist Views on Safety, Technology and Government

    50% report experiencing government overreach in the last year

  • July 11, 2025

    Abraji Conference 2025

    Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein, CNTI’s Senior Research Manager, attended Abraji’s 20th International Congress of Investigative Journalism in Brazil. They joined a panel on the topic of “Do I need to become an influencer to survive in journalism?”

  • A white person and Indian man standing side by side in front of the event poster.

    November 21, 2025

    First Conference on Human & Digital Mutualism

    CNTI’s Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein and Prabhat Katyayan Mishra attended the first Conference on Human & Digital Mutualism at Mahindra University’s School of Digital Media and Communication in Hyderabad. Jay joined the industry panel on humans and algorithms. Together, Jay and Prabhat…

  • What journalists and the public think about journalism and technology

    Researchers at the Center for News, Technology & Innovation shed light on a mismatch between how journalists and the public view journalism in the age of artificial intelligence.

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  • Newsfluencer: Journalists discuss the challenges faced by professionals on social media

    To explain the changes imposed by digital media on information consumption, Jay Barchas-Lichtenstein, research manager at the Center for News, Technology and Innovation, presented a study that gathered data from South Africa, Australia, Brazil, and the United States involving journalists,…

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