Experts task journalists on fake news, disinformation

As Group Trains Journalists on Fact-check
The Executive Director, Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalist (PTCIJ), Mr. Dapo Olorunyomi, has said there was a need for journalists to ensure that misinformation and disinformation were halted.

According to him, checking disinformation is critical to helping citizens make informed decisions that have positive socio-economic consequences.

Olorunyomi said this at the end of a four-day training on fact-check for five journalists picked by (PTCIJ) for fact-checking fellowship under its Dubawa project.

The fellows, expected to write fact-check stories, were implored to pass on the skills to their colleagues. The five fellows were picked from about 58 journalists, who applied after call for application closed.

Also, Programme Officer and Editor, Dubawa, Ebele Oputa said the training was carefully designed to provide, not just a one-directional training for the fellows, but to also encourage conversations between the trainers and the fellows, so that the right approaches to solving information disorder in Nigeria can be attained.

Representative of the funder, Communication Manager, Heinrich Böll Foundation, Mr. Chibueze Ebii, said he and his organisation were happy that PTCIJ was partnered on the project because of the expertise brought on board.