By Maryam Zannah Gambo
The Centre for Democracy Development, CDD West Africa, has trained journalists in Maiduguri on ethical reporting standards and fact-checking to curb misinformation.
The two-day capacity-building workshop, sponsored CDD was held at the RRR Office in Maiduguri and brought together practitioners from both traditional and online media platforms.
Speaking at the event, the CDD Training Coordinator, Mrs. Chioma Iruka said the training was designed to equip journalists with the necessary skills to counter misinformation and manage information responsibly.
She urged journalists to resist the pressure to publish news quickly, warning that false narratives often spread faster than verified reports.
Mrs Chioma who also led practical sessions on misinformation and disinformation, highlighting how journalists can also fall victim to false narratives, especially with the growing use of artificial intelligence and digital manipulation tools.
She stressed that ethical and responsible journalism is key to sustaining public trust.
She also trained participants on minimising harm through proper verification of claims and information before publication.
He emphasised the need for journalists to distinguish between misinformation, mal-information and disinformation, and advised them to avoid headlines that normalise hate, as well as to promptly admit errors when they occur
Participants at the training engaged in discussions on strategies for promoting ethical journalism and building public trust in media content.
Sessions also examined the concept, purpose and importance of fact-checking, with clear distinctions drawn between verification and fact-checking.
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