Expressing concern about the spread of disinformation on social media, Jenifer Larson, Consul General of the US Consulate General, and Anjani Kumar, Telangana DGP, stressed the importance of trained journalists in countering this trend. They also urged journalists to act responsibly when dealing with unverified information.
Larson, speaking at the closing session of the training project on “Countering Disinformation for Urdu TV Journalists,” stated that both India and the US were being targeted by those who want to disrupt their peace and growth. She emphasized that these efforts are not spontaneous but well-planned, and the individuals behind them do not want democracy to progress.
Larson encouraged journalists to exercise caution when handling unverified information, as sharing such information with the public can create real problems. The objective of the training program is to equip journalists with the tools and techniques needed to verify the authenticity of information. By doing so, a network of responsible and well-informed journalists can be created.
Anjani Kumar, the guest of honor, emphasized the importance of self-control when receiving messages, urging people to think carefully before forwarding them. He stated that even if a message is true, it should not be forwarded at the wrong time as it could have a negative impact. Individual vigilance is crucial, followed by the responsibility of fact-checkers.
The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Osmania University, in collaboration with the US Consulate General Hyderabad, organized an 8-month training program for 37 Urdu journalists. The aim was to empower these journalists with fact-checking skills and tools to prevent misinformation from entering mainstream media.
Professor Stevenson Kohir, Head of the Department of Journalism at Osmania University, highlighted the importance of preventing misinformation from spreading in mainstream media. The training program included 30% women journalists and eight students from Maulana Azad National Urdu University.
Allam Narayana, Chairman of Telangana Press Academy, and MA Majid, member of the Press Council of India, were also present at the event.
