Media Matters for Democracy’s Investigating Disinformation Fellowship Program
An Initiative to Help Journalism Community Go Beyond the Traditional Fact-Checking and Investigate Organised Mis/Disinformation
Organised Mis/Disinformation, especially of political nature, has emerged as a massive challenge for newsrooms across Pakistan. A vast majority of journalists feel that they regularly encounter Mis/Disinformation in their work. Considering that most journalists regularly source news from digital platforms, including Twitter, digital fact-checking is must-have skill for media practitioners in today’s age. However, most journalists feel that they’ve never received any formal training for digital fact-checking. As a result of this gap, we often see Mis/Disinformation making its way to the mainstream news content.
MMfD has been leading the work on Media and Information Literacy (MIL) in Pakistan since 2018, and in the past few years, we’ve conducted numerous training programs, including residential bootcamps, with journalists from all mediums to give them basic to advanced level skills to counter and investigate Mis/Disinformation.
Tackling the information disorder and focusing on countering disinformation is one of MMFD’s key focus areas. In extension to our existing programs and trainings on disinformation, and building upon MMFD’s existing mobilisation on disinformation, we are now launching the Countering Disinformation Fellowship Program, aimed at bringing together a cohort (of prominent journalists) and assisting them in producing investigative, fact-checking content.
What we are offering:
A total of 10 journalists would be selected for a 6 month Fellowship Program, from across the country and mediums to become Fellows under this program. The Fellows would be taken through an intensive training program to enable them to go beyond the basic fact-checks, and be able to investigate Mis/Disinformation. Fellows will also be given special access to paid analytics tools, and get constant support and mentorship in content production.The Fellows would mainly be encouraged to study and produce journalistic content around organised misinformation that is aimed at disrupting and/or manipulating political and democratic processes, hate campaigns against journalists and human rights defenders, and organised external influence through platforms to manipulate or hijack political narratives.
What will the scope of engagement cover?
Across the 6 month program, each Fellow would be encouraged to produce at least 3 investigative news pieces under this program, making use of the skills, knowledge, and assistance provided. Fellows would also be given access to paid tools and platforms essential for the stories. However, no direct monetary benefits — such as story grants etc — would be given.
Who can apply?
Mid-career journalists with at least 3 years of experience working on journalistic content around Mis/Disinformation through your own digital media outlet or through an outlet that you lead or are a part of.
How to apply?
All interested applicants are requested to send in their applications by filling a Google Form linked below.
Should you have any questions or queries regarding the application process, please don’t hesitate to write to Moaz Bhangu at moaz.bhangu@mediamatters.pk
The applications should be submitted using the link below. We look forward to your applications!
https://forms.gle/eGLadqvMzzox74GP9