OpenAI's ChatGPT large language model has attracted considerable attention for its ability to generate human-fluency responses in an interactive Q&A "chat bot" format. Its unique capabilities to summarize and answer questions about passages of text suggest significant opportunities for television news analysis. What might it look like to use ChatGPT to examine an ABC World News Tonight With David Muir broadcast from this past Friday and divide it into discrete stories, along with answering basic questions about it?

To examine this further, we used the TTXT transcript for the broadcast above and selected just the transcript up until the first commercial break. Unfortunately, this exceeded ChatGPT's maximum textual length and so to remain within the length limitations, we selected the first half of the first news block of the broadcast. You can see the complete transcript of the interaction below from start to finish. Note that to keep this example simple, no attempts were made to chain the complete transcript together in chunks and prompts were kept deliberately simple, with no prompt engineering to tailor for ChatGPT's idiosyncrasies. Despite this, the results are quite impressive.

To work around certain behaviors of ChatGPT, we chose to repeat the complete transcript each time, so where you see "[]" in the prompts below, the original text was pasted there.

You can compare the results below with the original broadcast transcript and Vanderbilt Television News Archive's human-analyzed story segmentation of the broadcast.

Prompt:

You are an AI assistant that summarizes and answers questions about television news transcripts.

Response:

"Yes, that's correct! I am trained to understand and summarize text and can assist with questions about television news transcripts. How may I help you today?"

Prompt:

Summarize the television news transcript: "TONIGHT, SEVERAL DEVELOPING STORIES AS WE COME ON THE AIR. NEWS COMING IN, THE SUSPECTED CHINESE SPY BALLOON HOVERING OVER THE U.S. WHERE IT IS NOW, AND WILL THERE BE A WINDOW TO SHOOT IT DOWN? ALSO TONIGHT, THE DANGEROUS LIFE-THREATENING COLD MOVING INTO THE NORTHEAST. THE LIVE READINGS ALREADY. FIRST, THE PENTAGON TRACKING THAT CHINESE BALLOON, THE INTELLIGENCE BAY HANGING BENEATH IT, THE SIZE OF THREE BUSSES. WHERE IT WAS SPOTTED TODAY OVER THE U.S., WHERE IT'S BELIEVED TO BE HEADED NOW, 60,000 FEET IN THE AIR. WILL THE U.S. SHOOT THIS DOWN? SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN POSTPONING HIS HIGH STAKES TRIP TO CHINA. MOLA LENGHI, MARY BRUCE STANDING BY AT THE WHITE HOUSE. THE DEADLY COLD ALREADY TONIGHT, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IS CALLING IT A ONCE IN A GENERATION ARCTIC BLAST. 25 MILLION AMERICANS, MULTIPLE STATES. NEW YORK CITY, PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON, WIND-CHILL READINGS IN MAINE EXPECTED TO REACH 60 BELOW ZERO. AND WHERE THE WIND CHILL IS ALREADY 106 DEGREES BELOW ZERO TONIGHT. VICTOR OQUENDO IN MASSACHUSETTS. ROB MARCIANO TIMING THIS OUT. THE DEADLY ASSAULT ON AN E.R. DOCTOR RIDING HIS MOUNTAIN BIKE. POLICE SAY THE SUSPECT IN HIS CAR HITTING THE VICTIM, THEN ALLEGEDLY GETTING OUT AND ATTACKING HIM. MATT GUTMAN REPORTING. ANOTHER SCARE AT THE AIRPORT. THIS TIME, NEWARK. TWO PASSENGER JETS CLIPPING WINGS. ONE PLANE FULL OF PASSENGERS. THE STUNNING AND UNEXPECTED JOBS REPORT TONIGHT. PRESIDENT BIDEN CELEBRATING THE NUMBERS. THE UNEMPLOYMENT RATE NOT THIS LOW SINCE 1969. SO, HOW DOES THIS COMPLICATE STEPS BY THE FED MOVING FORWARD? REBECCA JARVIS, AS ALWAYS, BREAKING IT DOWN. THE ALEX MURDAUGH DOUBLE MURDER TRIAL. THE DEFENSE TEAM, AND WHAT A BALLISTICS EXPERT ACKNOWLEDGED TODAY. AND TONIGHT, THE STORY OF ALEX MURDAUGH'S HOUSEKEEPER DYING IN A FALL AT THE HOME. WHAT THE FAMILY SAYS THEY NEVER KNEW. PROSECUTORS SAY MURDAUGH GOT A $5 MILLION PAYOUT FROM A POLICY THAT COVERED THE HOUSEKEEPER'S FALL. BUT WILL THE JURY HEAR ABOUT IT? EVA PILGRIM REPORTING. ROBIN ROBERTS TONIGHT AND HER EPIC JUMP. ROBIN FROM NEW ZEALAND, THE BIRTHPLACE OF THE BUNGEE JUMP. YOU'LL SEE HER JUMP FROM THE TALLEST BUILDING IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. TONIGHT, THE LESSON ON CONQUERING FEAR. GOOD EVENING. IT IS GREAT TO HAVE YOU WITH US ON A FRIDAY NIGHT. ALMOST TO THE WEEKEND, BUT IT WILL BE BRUTALLY COLD, DANGEROUS, LIFE-THREATENING COLD. THE READINGS COMING IN RIGHT NOW, AND WHERE THE WIND CHILL IS ALREADY MORE THAN 100 DEGREES BELOW ZERO. THAT'S IN A MOMENT HERE. BUT WE BEGIN WITH THE CHINESE SPY BALLOON HOVERING OVER THE U.S. TONIGHT. CHINA CLAIMING IT IS A WEATHER BALLOON THAT BLEW OFF COURSE. U.S. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE THIS IS A SURVEILLANCE BALLOON BEING MANEUVERED BY CHINA, LIKELY USING SPY SATELLITES. TODAY THE BALLOON WAS SPOTTED OVER MISSOURI. SO WHERE IS IT TONIGHT, AND WHERE U.S. AUTHORITIES BELIEVE IT'S HEADED. AMONG THE FIRST SIGHTINGS OVER BILLINGS, MONTANA. THAT INTELLIGENCE BAY HANGING BENEATH THE BALLOON, THAT'S THE SIZE OF THREE BUSSES. THE PENTAGON TONIGHT ON DISCUSSIONS OVER WHETHER OR NOT TO SHOOT IT DOWN, AND WILL THERE BE A SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO DO JUST THAT? WHAT WE'RE LEARNING TONIGHT. SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN POSTPONING HIS HIGH-STAKES TRIP TO BEIJING, CALLING CHINA'S ACTIONS UNACCEPTABLE. SO, WILL THIS BE SHOT DOWN? IF SO, WHERE? AND WHAT CHINA IS SAYING TONIGHT. MARY BRUCE AT THE WHITE HOUSE, AND ABC'S MOLA LENGHI LEADING US OFF TONIGHT IN MONTANA. Reporter: TONIGHT, THE PENTAGON CONFIRMING THE MASSIVE CHINESE SPY BALLOON IS ON THE MOVE 60,000 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND HEADING EAST. THE BALLOON CONTINUES T MOVE EASTWARD AND IS CURRENTLY OVER THE CENTER OF THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? Reporter: A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL TELLS ABC NEWS THE BALLOON NOW APPEARS HEADED TOWARDS NORTH CAROLINA. ACROSS THE COUNTRY TODAY, AMERICANS WITH THEIR EYES ON THE SKIES, POSTING IMAGES LIKE THIS ONE, THE BALLOON FLOATING OVER MISSOURI. COMMERCIAL PILOTS RADIOING IN. WE GOT THAT BALLOON IN SIGHT ALSO. LOOKS LIKE IT'S WAY UP THERE, MAYBE 50,000 FEET OR SO. Reporter: THE BALLOON IS HUGE WITH A TECHNOLOGY BAY ATTACHED BELOW THAT IS ITSELF THE SIZE OF THREE BUSSES, LOADED WITH HIGH RESOLUTION CAMERAS, ACCORDING TO A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL, EQUIPPED WITH WHAT APPEAR TO BE SOLAR PANELS ON THE SIDE THAT COULD POWER ITS TECHNOLOGY. IT FIRST ENTERED AMERICAN AIRSPACE OVER ALASKA, THEN FLYING INTO SOUTHWEST CANADA BEFORE DIPPING DOWN OVER BILLINGS, MONTANA. THIS THING IS UP IN THE SKY. WHAT THE HECK IS THAT? THAT THING IS NOT THE MOON. ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED. Reporter: MONTANA REPUBLICAN CONGRESSMAN RYAN ZINKE WAS BLUNT, TWEETING "SHOOT. IT. DOWN." THE PENTAGON TODAY SAYIG THAT OPTION WAS CONSIDERED AND REJECTED, FOR NOW. WE ASSESSED THAT CURRENTLY IT DOES NOT POSE A PHYSICAL OR MILITARY RISK TO PEOPLE ON THE GROUND. FOR NOW WE ARE CONTINUING TO MONITOR AND REVIEW OPTIONS. Reporter: THE WHITE HOUSE TODAY SAYING PRESIDENT BIDEN AGREED WITH THE PENTAGON'S STRONG RECOMMENDATION. THE RISKS INVOLVED WITH SHOOTING DOWN THE BALLOON JUST TOO GREAT. ANY POTENTIAL DEBRIS FIELD WOULD BE SIGNIFICANT AND POTENTIALLY CAUSE CIVILIAN INJURIES OR DEATHS OR SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGE. Reporter: FOR ITS PART, CHINA INSISTING TODAY THE BALLOON IS NOT A SPY VESSEL AT ALL BUT A CIVILIAN AIRSHIP USED FOR RESEARCH, MAINLY METEOROLOGICAL PURPOSES. THE PENTAGON FLATLY REJECTING THAT CLAIM. WE ARE AWARE OF THE PRC'S STATEMENT. HOWEVER, THE FACT IS, WE KNOW THAT IT'S A SURVEILLANCE PBALLO. WE HAVE CLEARLY COMMUNICATED THAT THIS BALLOON IS VIOLATING U.S. AIR SPACE AND INTERNATIONAL LAW AND THAT THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE. Reporter: CHINA SAYS THE BALLOON DEVIATED FAR FROM ITS PLANNED COURSE, BUT THE PENTAGON QUESTIONING THAT AS WELL, SAYING THE BALLOON CAN BE MANEUVERED. A SENIOR U.S. OFFICIAL TELLING ABC NEWS, IT'S LIKELY BEING NAVIGATED WITH SPY SATELLITES. THIS ALL HAPPENING AS SECRETARY OF STATE ANTONY BLINKEN PREPARED FOR A WEEKEND TRIP TO BEIJING. THAT VISIT NOW CANCELED. IN LIGHT OF CHINA'S UNACCEPTABLE ACTION, I AM POSTPONING MY PLANNED TRAVEL THIS WEEKEND TO CHINA. WE CONCLUDED THAT CONDITIONS WERE NOT CONDUCIVE FOR A CONSTRUCTIVE VISIT AT THIS TIME. Reporter: THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER FOREIGN SURVEILLANCE BALLOONS ABOVE THE U.S., BUT NONE LIKE THIS. WHAT MAKES THIS DIFFERENT IS THE DURATION AND THE LENGTH OF WHICH IT HAS BEEN OVER U.S. TERRITORY. Reporter: THE PENTAGON SAYS THE BALLOON IS EXPECTED TO LINGER ABOVE AMERICA FOR A FEW DAYS. THIS IS REALLY SOMETHING. LET'S BRING IN MOLA LENGHI. HE'S IN BILLINGS, MONTANA, FOR US AGAIN TONIGHT. THAT STATE WITH SEVERAL SENSITIVE NUCLEAR SITES. AS YOU REPORTED, U.S. AUTHORITIES SAY THE BALLOON IS LIKELY NAVIGATED BY CHINESE SATELLITES. THE PENTAGON SAYS THEY'VE DECIDED NOT TO SHOOT IT DOWN AT THIS POINT, BUT THAT OPTION ISN'T COMPLETELY OFF THE TABLE? Reporter: THAT'S RIGHT, DAVID, A U.S. OFFICIAL FAMILIAR WITH THE SITUATION SAYS THE CURRENT THINKING IS TO WAIT FOR THE BALLOON TO DRIFT OVER THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THEN SHOOT IT DOWN ONCE IT'S OVER U.S. TERRITORYIAL WATERS. THAT WAY YOU CAN AVOID INJURIES ON THE GROUND, AND TWO, RETRIEVE THE BALLOON, STUDY IT, AND ULTIMATELY EXPLOIT THE INTELLIGENCE. DAVID, TONIGHT CHINA SAYS IT REGRETS THE UNINTENDED ENTRY OF THE AIR SHIP INTO U.S. AIR SPACE, BUT AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, NOT EXACTLY FLYING WITH U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY OFFICIALS WHO ARE CALLING THIS UNACCEPTABLE. MOLA LENGHI, THANK YOU. LET'S BRING IN MARY BRUCE. PRESIDENT BIDEN CHOSE NOT TO TALK ABOUT THIS TODAY, TRYING NOT TO ENFLAME THE SITUATION. WHAT ARE YOU LEARNING FROM THE WHITE HOUSE TONIGHT? OBVIOUSLY THE PRESIDENT CONTINUING TO BE BRIEFED. AND ON MOLA'S POINT, IF YOU SHOT THIS DOWN OVER U.S. WATERS, THAT STILL IS A SMALL WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY TO PULL THIS OFF."

Response:

"The transcript is of a television news show, covering multiple stories including a suspected Chinese spy balloon hovering over the US, the dangerous cold weather in the Northeast, the assault on an ER doctor, a scare at Newark airport, the unemployment rate, a double murder trial, and Robin Roberts doing a bungee jump in New Zealand. There is discussion over whether the US will shoot down the suspected Chinese spy balloon, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken has postponed his trip to Beijing."

Prompt:

How many distinct stories are in this transcript: "[]"

Response:

"There are 7 distinct stories in this transcript."

Prompt:

List the major stories in this transcript: "[]"

Response:

"The transcript summarizes several news stories that are being reported in a television news broadcast. The first story is about a suspected Chinese spy balloon that is hovering over the United States. The United States authorities believe that it is a surveillance balloon being controlled by China, while China claims it is a weather balloon that has blown off course. The Pentagon is discussing whether or not to shoot it down, and the Secretary of State is postponing his trip to China.

The second story is about a dangerous, life-threatening cold that is moving into the Northeast. 25 million Americans in multiple states are affected, with wind-chill readings expected to reach 60 below zero.

The third story is about a deadly assault on an E.R. doctor who was riding his mountain bike, and the suspect allegedly hit him with a car and then attacked him.

The fourth story is about a scare at Newark airport where two passenger jets clipped wings, one of which was full of passengers.

The fifth story is about a stunning and unexpected jobs report, with the unemployment rate not this low since 1969, and its implications for the Federal Reserve.

The sixth story is about the Alex Murdaugh double murder trial and the prosecution's claims about a $5 million payout from a policy that covered the housekeeper's fall.

The final story is about Robin Roberts making an epic jump from the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere, and the lesson on conquering fear."

Prompt:

Create a title for this transcript: "[]"

Response:

"Multiple Developing Stories: Suspected Chinese Spy Balloon, Dangerous Cold, Attack on ER Doctor, Planes Clipping Wings, Jobs Report, Double Murder Trial, and More"

Prompt:

What are the locations mentioned in this transcript: "[]"

Response:

"The locations mentioned in the transcript are:

The United States
Northeast
New York City, Philadelphia, Boston
Maine
Massachusetts
Newark (airport)
New Zealand
Missouri
Billings, Montana
Beijing, China
White House"

Prompt:

In order of importance, list all of the entities in this transcript and summarize each: "[]"

Response:

• • Chinese spy balloon hovering over the U.S.: a suspected Chinese spy balloon that is believed to be maneuvering over the U.S. and being monitored by the Pentagon.
    Life-threatening cold in the Northeast: a dangerous cold front moving into the northeastern U.S., affecting 25 million people in multiple states with wind-chill readings expected to reach 60 degrees below zero.
  • Postponing of Secretary of State Antony Blinken's trip to China: Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his trip to China due to China's actions being deemed unacceptable.
  • Deadly assault on an E.R. doctor: a doctor was allegedly hit by a car and then attacked while riding his mountain bike.
  • Another scare at Newark airport: two passenger jets clipped wings, one of which was full of passengers.
  • Unexpected jobs report: President Biden is celebrating a surprising jobs report with the unemployment rate being the lowest since 1969.
  • Alex Murdaugh double murder trial: a trial is ongoing for Alex Murdaugh, who is accused of a double murder, with the defense team acknowledging evidence from a ballistics expert today.
  • Death of Alex Murdaugh's housekeeper: a housekeeper died from a fall at Murdaugh's home, with prosecutors claiming that Murdaugh received a $5 million payout from a policy that covered the housekeeper's fall.
  • Robin Roberts' epic jump: Robin Roberts is jumping from the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere to conquer fear.
  • Brutally cold, dangerous weather: life-threatening cold with wind-chill readings over 100 degrees below zero.

Prompt:

In order of importance, list all of the people and places in this transcript and summarize each: ""

Response:

• • Chinese Spy Balloon: A suspected Chinese spy balloon is being tracked by the Pentagon as it hovers over the US, with an intelligence bay beneath it the size of three buses.
  • Secretary of State Antony Blinken: Blinken postponed his trip to China in response to the Chinese balloon, calling China's actions unacceptable.
  • Dangerous Cold in the Northeast: A once in a generation arctic blast is affecting 25 million Americans in multiple states, including New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston, with wind chill readings expected to reach 60 below zero.
  • Deadly Assault on an E.R. Doctor: A doctor was hit by a car and then attacked while riding his mountain bike, and the police are searching for the suspect.
  • Scare at Newark Airport: Two passenger jets clipped wings, with one plane full of passengers, at Newark airport.
  • Unexpected Jobs Report: President Biden is celebrating a surprising jobs report, with the unemployment rate not this low since 1969.
  • Alex Murdaugh Double Murder Trial: A ballistics expert acknowledged important information in the trial of Alex Murdaugh, who is accused of a double murder, with the prosecution saying he received a $5 million payout from a policy that covered the death of his housekeeper.
  • Robin Roberts and her Epic Jump: Robin Roberts will be jumping from the tallest building in the Southern Hemisphere in New Zealand, and the story is about conquering fear.

Prompt:

How large is the Chinese spy balloon?

Response:

"The Chinese spy balloon is reported to have an intelligence bay that is the size of three buses."

 

This analysis is part of an ongoing collaboration between the Internet Archive and its TV News Archive, the multi-party Media-Data Research Consortium and GDELT.