Concerns have been raised about the spread of false information on social media, and the need for trained journalists to counter this trend. Jenifer Larson, Consul General of the US Consulate General, and Anjani Kumar, Telangana DGP, expressed these concerns during a training project for Urdu TV journalists. Larson highlighted that both India and the US are targeted by those who wish to disrupt peace and progress, and urged journalists to be more responsible when dealing with unverified information.
The objective of the training project is to equip journalists with the tools and techniques needed to verify the authenticity of information. Larson emphasized the importance of not spreading unverified information to the public, as it can create real problems. The hope is that this training will create a network of well-informed and responsible journalists.
Anjani Kumar, who was a guest of honor at the event, stressed the importance of self-control before forwarding messages. He urged people to think carefully before sharing information, even if it is true, as it may have a negative impact. He also highlighted the importance of individual vigilance and the responsibility of fact-checkers.
The training project was organized by the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Osmania University, in collaboration with the US Consulate General Hyderabad. It spanned over eight months and trained 37 Urdu journalists. The goal was to empower these journalists with fact-checking skills and techniques to prevent misinformation from spreading in mainstream media.
The training program had a diverse group of participants, including women journalists and students from Maulana Azad National Urdu University. Allam Narayana, chairman of Telangana Press Academy, and MA Majid, member of Press Council of India, were also present at the event.
