By https://www.abc.net.au/news/madigan-landry/105491336
Publication Date: 2026-05-21 22:29:00
Experts say a series of AI-generated online news outlets posing as local mastheads in regional Western Australia could be the first known example of “pink slime” journalism in Australia.
“Pink Slime” is the slang term for AI-generated news sites that masquerade as legitimate local journalism to attract clicks and advertising revenue and, in some cases, influence politics.
This form of low-quality, AI-generated news, widespread in the United States, is named after a byproduct of cheap, highly processed meat products.
Pink slime originally referred to a heavily processed meat product sold in the United States. (ABC Southwest: Madigan Landry)
In February, AI-generated news sites began appearing in WA regional centers with numerous mastheads including The Mandurah Reader, Esperance Enosis and The Bunbury Guardian.
The ABC began investigating the websites allegedly staffed by local journalists after The Bunbury Guardian began publishing content that appeared to…