Summary:
- Karuhanga emphasized the importance of verifying information through clear processes to ensure quality journalism. He noted that while journalists have the ability to check their work before publishing, they need to be equipped with skills to identify, debunk, and fact-check false information to publish verified and authentic content.
KABALE: Journalists in the Kigezi sub-region have been urged to embrace rigorous fact-checking processes to combat misinformation and disinformation in media and community stories.
This call was made on Wednesday by Edgar Mathew Karuhanga from the Debunk Media Initiative, a fact-checking organization based in Kampala, during a two-day fact-checking and verification master class aimed to enhance fact-checking skills, improve reporting quality, and combat misinformation among journalists.
The training, organized by the Debunk Media Initiative in partnership with Africa Check and Google, is being attended by 20 journalists from the Kigezi sub-region and is currently being held in Kabale District.
Karuhanga emphasized the importance of verifying information through clear processes to ensure quality journalism. He noted that while journalists have the ability to check their work before publishing, they need to be equipped with skills to identify, debunk, and fact-check false information to publish verified and authentic content.
He warned that disseminating false information has a negative impact on communities and expressed his belief that the training would enable journalists to prioritize fact-checking before sharing information with the public.
Karuhanga also encouraged journalists to embrace research, reading, and a commitment to fact-checking. He advised them to verify facts by confirming with sources before publishing, to consider the credibility of sources, and to inspect the evidence using the latest reliable data. These practices, he said, are essential for journalists to be good gatekeepers in their profession.
CUE IN KARUHANGA….ON FACT CHECKING……ENG//
