Latest news with #DaveO'Connell
RTÉ News
3 days ago
- Politics
- RTÉ News
Watch: 5 key takeaways from Reuters news study
The annual Reuters Digital News Report for Ireland 2025 shows that 5% of Irish people say they are getting their news from AI chatbots. This is one of the most eye-catching figures revealed in the annual report published today, and it offers a fascinating, if sobering, snapshot of media consumption. What is your 'level of interest' in news? The report shows that 56%, more than half the adult population in Ireland, is "extremely" or "very interested" in news. This figure, which is up 3 points from last year, is heartening for Irish newsrooms when compared to our neighbours in the UK (39%), and (51%) in the US. However, when we flick back ten years, to the report in 2015, the level of interest in news was 71% amongst adults. The report also notes wider trends over the years that show that engagement with news is clearly on shifting terrain. Rónán Ó Domhnaill, from Coimisiún na Meán, said that "what we are looking at is a gradual but managed decline in the amount of trust and interest in news". Who do you trust? At a time when fake news and misinformation are constant themes in newsrooms when faced with newsgathering and verification challenges, editors will be reassured that trust levels are solid. When asked about trusted sources of news, RTÉ News came out on top, at (72%), with local radio news in total clocking up (72%) trust levels too. They are followed by the Irish Times, with 70%, with the same percentage for the BBC, levels of 68% for the Irish Independent, and 66% for Newstalk, Today FM and Sky News. At a time when there are endless options available for people to consume their news, and when questionable content bleeds through our online world, these figures will bolster those who argue that resources should continue to be channelled to trusted news-gathering sources. For newspapers, there was good news for local papers as, at 71%, they emerge as the most trusted source, however Dave O'Connell, editor of the Connacht Tribune, said "it's great to have these trust levels," but "with the good news with trust level, it's not so great news in relation to sales". He asked "how do we leverage this trust into surviving as an industry?". For Dr Eileen Culloty from DCU who was involved in the research for this report, she said that the figures show that "local media enjoys strong public trust" however, in tune with Dave O'Connell she added, "trust alone doesn't pay salaries or sustain newsrooms so the big challenge is to convert trust into viable careers in local journalism so that local media can continue informing communities". Mr O'Connell pointed to Coimisiún na Meán, saying that their support with schemes such as the recent local journalism and court reporting schemes were vital to plug the gap between the cost of providing quality news coverage and funding. He believes that the need for external funding is key in this area. Are you worried about fake news? All age groups shows concern about fake information online with 68% of respondents saying that deciding what is 'real' and what is 'fake' is a factor in their consumption of news. This figure will be considered a strong mandate for journalists to continue to be vigilant in their news-gathering and verification processes. In an era when everyone can go 'live' on their phones to an audience, these figures will be seen as demonstrating the resilience and importance of verified content for news providers. The standards for good quality, well-researched journalism is important to Irish people and this figure from across the age groups reinforces that work. Will you pay for news? The report said that one in five people, 20%, are now paying for subscriptions for their news content. Casting an eye back to 2015, a decade ago, the figure for digital news subscriptions stood at 7% and the only national news title that had moved behind a paywall then was The Irish Sun which was followed by a 'soft paywall' from the Irish Times. Scroll on ten years and the levels of subscription have moved on, with Irish Independent publisher Mediahuis recently celebrating reaching 100,000 paid subscribers this year. Samantha McCaughren from Mediahuis spoke at the launch of the report today and she said that "what we did 20 years ago, we don't do now". Ms McCaughren explained that their processes have moved on and that "when we think about a story, we think about all the angles. Is there a podcast element, a video element, can our journalists talk to each other about a story? We have completely changed how we look at stories," she told RTÉ News. This describes the approach that any vibrant newsroom has to adopt now to stay relevant. Multi-platform approaches to a story is considered the norm now, but with shrinking resources across newsrooms, the perennial question remains - how do you monetise your content and stay on top of the financial demands of managing a multi-platform model? As more and more content goes behind paywalls, this report will offer some comfort as it seems that Irish people are more willing to pay for content so the juggling act of balancing commercial realities with the quality news content gathering continues across news organisations. The Reuters Digital News Report finds that 5% of people are turning to chatbots for their content. This one line in a report of thousands of words was for many, the break-out news line. The figure emerged in response to the question "which platforms you have used in the last week as a source of news" and it was the first time that this digital platform had emerged and is a new entry into the charts. Top of the choices was television with 58% saying that this was a platform they turned to. That same figure also said they turned to online news. Meanwhile, 47% of Irish people said social media was a source, while radio was a news source for 36%. This figure has been pointed to as a sure sign of the resilience of this platform with the Irish people's long celebrated affinity with radio continuing to power where audio offerings have changed significantly in recent years. Back ten years ago in 2015, the reach for 'traditional' newspapers was 69%. That has declined significantly with 20% of respondents in this report saying they went to printed newspapers for their information. Down the bottom are the two entries from the digital platforms with 12% saying podcasts provided them with news and the eye catching 5% stating that AI chatbots was a source. The figure may have just snuck into the bottom of the list but it is a figure that is sure to rise over the coming years. The figure just above it too is worthy of note as 12% point to podcasts as a platform they use for news sourcing. This figure is higher than the UK (7%) and USA (15%). When we consider that 19% of people said that they were either "very" or "somewhat" comfortable with the use of AI for news with some human oversight and the under 35s almost twice as comfortable when considering the same measure, it is clear that digital platforms will continue to steer future developments in newsrooms. Ms McCaughren discussed the pivotal role that podcasts play in the Mediahuis newsroom now with a full time team of 16 people working on their podcast content. From daily news, to sport to crime, the appetite for podcasts is clearly growing and is yet another new frontier that this report tracks. This evening I asked an AI chatbot for a short one line summary of this report, and it offered the following words of wisdom: "Irish audiences remain highly engaged and trusting in news at 56%, and strong local radio/newspaper trust levels at 72% but they are cautious about AI." Humble. Cautious for now, but when next year's report is published, checking the figure for use of AI chatbots as a source will be one of the first things I will watch out for.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Is Bearizona worth the trip? How to make the most of your visit to the wildlife park
Bearizona is a 160-acre wild animal park tucked into the ponderosa pines of Williams, Arizona, — just 45 minutes south of the Grand Canyon. This isn't your average zoo. At Bearizona, you'll drive your vehicle through a forested route where North American animals like bison, black bears, wolves and elk roam freely around your car. No fences, no cages — just your windows between you and the animals. Think of it as a drive-through safari that feels like a National Geographic special — minus the jet lag. After the drive, park your car and explore Fort Bearizona, where walk-through exhibits and soaring bird shows make the experience even wilder. So if you're looking for a family-friendly destination with unforgettable wildlife encounters and scenic charm, Bearizona is waiting just off historic Route 66. We talked with Dave O'Connell, Bearizona's chief operating officer, who said guests are welcome to drive through the animal enclosure as many times as they wish. The drive-through portion is about 3 miles long and typically takes 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how busy the park is. After that, you could spend 2 hours or more exploring the exhibits, animal demonstrations, restaurants and gift shop in Fort Bearizona. Yes. You can drive through Bearizona more than once during your visit. 'What's neat is that when you pay to get in, you can go through the drive-through as many times as you'd like. So if you go the first time and the wolves are sleeping, go through again later and you'll be able to see them up and around,' said O'Connell. Guests can bring a picnic lunch and enjoy it in the designated picnic areas or grassy spaces. Alcohol is not permitted, and the umbrella tables are for those who buy food from the Bearizona Grille. People looking for dining options have several choices at Bearizona. 'We also have lots of food with Canyonlands, which is a like a slot canyon, Grand Canyon themed restaurant,' said O'Connell. 'And we have the Bearizona Grill, which is kind of snack shack type food, hot dogs, chicken tenders. "And then we have bars all over the place. So for people who like to drink Bloody Marys or beer, depending on the time of the day, there's drinks all over the place.' Bearizona admission covers both the drive-through and walk-through areas of the park. Ticket prices vary by age and day of the week. Children 3 and younger are admitted free. Monday-Friday prices: Adults (13-61): $30. Seniors (62 and older): $27. Children (4-12): $20. Saturday-Sunday prices: Adults: $35. Seniors: $32. Children: $25. Tickets can be purchased at the gate or in advance online. Yes. Visitors drive their own enclosed vehicles through the wildlife area. 'Don't get out of your car. Stay in your vehicle at all times, because the unique thing about the drive-through is that you're in the animals' enclosure," O'Connell said. "So if you were to get out, there's bears, there's wolves, there's deer, there's some big animals that are right next to you, and they can be very dangerous, even though unassuming ones like the deer. So don't get out of your vehicle.' Vehicles must be completely enclosed and have operational windows. Prohibited vehicles include: Motorcycles. ATVs/all-terrain vehicles. Open-top Jeeps or convertibles. While extremely rare, minor vehicle damage can occur if guests don't follow park rules, including keeping windows closed and not feeding animals. Animals are wild, so there's always a small risk, but incidents are uncommon. 'Bearizona is enter at your own risk. The thing about our animals is that they are very well trained,' said O'Connell. 'We train these animals for voluntary blood draws, and we can move them around to different places by calling them and asking them to go. "But the thing is that we don't control them completely. And people have tried to come through and put food in their vehicle to get the animals come up close, and those are the ones that tend to get in some trouble like that.' Many of Bearizona's animals were rescued and deemed not releasable, so they retain wild instincts despite the managed environment. The park aims to let them live as naturally as possible. 'So there always could be damage. But generally it doesn't happen,' said O'Connell. 'I would say maybe one time a year, and it's not like severe damage. It's like a scratch. Like, one of our reindeer walked past the vehicle and his antlers touched one once.' After the drive-through, guests can explore Fort Bearizona, a walk-through area featuring additional animals, educational shows, restaurants, bars and and a gift shop. Looking for the ? Sign up for our newsletter. Bearizona is open year-round; hours may vary by season. The busiest months are June and July, while January and February tend to be the quietest. 'When people are getting out of school, that's what we're seeing the most,' said O'Connell. 'But then also we see a lot of visitors in December, which is awesome. So if you were looking to come up at a not as busy time, August, September, October, the fall is a great season. The temperatures drop and you get to be in that cool, crisp weather, and the park is a little bit more slow compared to summer times.' Bearizona is generally less crowded on weekdays, particularly from Monday through Thursday, with slightly lower admission prices compared to weekends. For the best wildlife viewing opportunities, arrive early in the morning when the animals are most active. This timing also helps avoid the peak afternoon crowds, especially during the summer months. Bearizona features North American wildlife, including: Black bears. Bison. Wolves. Mountain goats. Bighorn sheep. Elk, deer and pronghorn. Fort Bearizona, the walk-through part of the park, is similar to a traditional zoo and has foxes, porcupines, badgers, raccoons, jaguars and other animals. Bird demonstrations take place at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. daily, where birds fly over guests' heads — a crowd favorite. Yes. There are three grizzly bears at Bearizona. They had been orphaned in Montana and brought to Bearizona in 2020. Guests are not allowed to feed the animals for safety and animal health reasons. Animal feeding is handled by trained staff. Bearizona is 200 miles northwest of central Phoenix. Address: 1500 E. Route 66, Williams. Admission: From $30 for adults and $20 for ages 4-12. Hours: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. daily. Details: 928-635-2289, Got a story you want to share? Reach out at Follow @tiffsario on Instagram. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Bearizona: Experience Arizona's drive-through wildlife park
