US Consulate Trains Abia Media Practitioners On Fact Checking

All is now set for the training of media practitioners in Abia State on methods and tools used in checking facts before publications.

Speaking with ABN TV on Wednesday, the lead trainer of the US Consulate project on fact-checking and former Zonal Director of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria, Ken Ike Okere said the training is scheduled to commence on Thursday, January 13, 2022, at the facility of Flo FM in Umuahia.

He noted that fake news and misinformation has become a challenge in the country and across the globe.

He noted that fake news and misinformation has been predicted to have capacity to lead to a Third World War.

Mr. Okere further highlighted Nigeria is in a state of crisis where the single most emergency problem facing the country is fake news.

He said trainees will be taught how to detect video and photos manipulation, differences between facts and opinions, what malinformation is, misinformation, disinformation as well as their practical examples.

According to the lead trainer, participants will be taught steps to follow in fact-checking a story.

READ ALSO: 2023 A Defining Moment For Nigerians To Wisely Choose Their Leaders — Political Scientist

“The climax of it all is sharing about seven to ten tools one can use in fact-checking a story, video or photo, to determine whether or not it is original, whether they have been used before, where they were used, what stories they were used for,” he said.

He said media literacy training is important to detect fake news.

The former FRCN Zonal Director said the training will cover at least 17 states of the country.