Training Workshop

Facts Checking and Verification Techniques in News Reporting

Background:

In the age of the Internet, rumours and hoaxes quickly spread during breaking news situations. As a result, there is an increased need for journalists to differentiate between the real, authentic content from the fakes. This course will provide the basics on how to get started with verifying online information.

When a violent protest, mass-scale accident, or natural hazard unfolds, information tends to get jumbled, causing fear and confusion. With the growing use of technology, we have witnessed innumerable false and fake stories being shared on social networks, including photoshopped images, or reuploaded diced videos from unrelated events in the past. With increasing frequency, journalists are required to master the skills and expertise to handle the information that circulates on the Internet and elsewhere.

In Bangladesh journalists are often mislead in respect to fake news and false information generated and uploaded on the websites. Such dire situation often puts bewildered newsmen seeking authentic information in the event of any crisis.

The workshop comes at a time when the news media, with its new technologies and wider reach, is increasingly a target for misinformation, manipulation or suppression by interest groups seeking to benefit from conflict. The claim for evidence concept of facts checking and verification techniques in news reporting requires greater analytical depth and skills to report on it without contributing to further misinformation.

The intention is to make reporting on facts checking and verification techniques in news reporting more insightful, comprehensive and thus more influential.

The training on facts verification is very timely and appropriate indeed. In the age of fast growing information technology, it is necessary for journalists to adopt to the techniques of checking genuine facts and learn best practices in ethical news writing.

The workshop takes place at a time when Bangladeshi news organizations are covering complex issues such as the Rohingya influx. Therefore, to increase understanding of conflict sensitivity, Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio & Communication (BNNRC), with support from Internews, is organizing a two-day workshop on conflict sensitive journalism for journalists in Cox’s Bazar, Chattagram and Dhaka.

The workshop is being facilitated by Mr. Nicholas Nugent, Consultant in Broadcasting and Journalism, UK and Mr. Michael Schmidt, Freelance Investigative Journalist, South Africa.

[30-31 May 2018] Cox’s Bazar

Workshop on Facts Checking and Verification Techniques in News Reporting

[10-11 July 2018] Chittagong

Workshop on Facts Checking and Verification Techniques in News Reporting

[14-15 July 2018] Dhaka

Workshop on Facts Checking and Verification Techniques in News Reporting