More than half of the global respondents to the 2025 Reuters Institute Digital News Report expressed concerns about whether the online news they interact with is fake or real. The same pattern is visible among US citizens, with 73% of the participants sharing the same worries as the rest of the world. These concerns are perfectly understandable amid this era defined by misinformation. Constantly bombarded with AI-generated content and algorithmic newsfeeds, it becomes increasingly difficult for readers to discern fact from fiction.
With more than 2,600 journalists reporting from 165 countries and in 12 languages, Reuters has established itself as a trusted and reliable source that readers turn to in search of accurate and truthful news events. Known as the world’s source for trusted news, the media outlet embarked on a mission to not only reinforce its position as a leading organization in news coverage but also to start a conversation about human-led journalism.
Together with Gravity Road, the news agency launched the “Pure News, Straight from the Source” campaign, in which it purposely uses AI-generated imagery to show how information can be contaminated as it travels farther from its origin.
A video directed by BAFTA-nominated Ivan Bird illustrates this phenomenon using water as a metaphor. Just as water becomes cloudier the farther it flows from the source, so too does information become less clear as it moves away from its origin. Blending cinematic craft, generative AI, and authentic Reuters footage, the centerpiece video reveals how technology contributes to generating convincing — yet misleading — imagery.
The choice of deliberately including AI imagery within its campaign underscores how essential verified news sources and human-led journalism are in this era. In line with the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, the campaign seeks to encourage readers to question their content and trust news that is closer to its origin.
“In an era of information overload and growing skepticism about media, Reuters stands as a beacon,” explained Paul Bascobert, President of Reuters. “Our mission has never been more critical – to deliver facts and rigorous analysis and to shed light on the truth without fear or favor. This campaign reinforces our position as one of the most trusted sources of information for nearly 175 years, assuring readers they are getting unbiased and accurate news when they subscribe to Reuters.com.”
Gravity Road Co-founder and CEO, Mark Eaves, concludes: “We scrutinise the sources of the food and drink we consume — where we demand transparency, traceability and purity. So why should we be less concerned with the sources of the news we intake? As misinformation takes on ever more convincing forms through AI, this campaign reasserts Reuters primacy as part of a healthy news diet.”
CREDITS
Brand: Reuters
Agency: Gravity Road
Director: Ivan Bird
