SRINAGAR: To equip journalism students with the skills required to navigate the complex world of information, focusing on fact-checking techniques and encouraging media literacy, the Media Education Research Centre (MERC), Kashmir University (KU), Wednesday inaugurated a two-day national workshop here.
The Centre organised the workshop titled ‘Fact Checking and Media Literacy Training’ in collaboration with ‘Logically Facts’, a subsidiary of ‘Logically’, a UK-based organisation specialising in combating disinformation and data-driven journalism.
On the occasion, KU Dean Academic Affairs, Prof Farooq Masoodi, highlighted the significance of technology and the responsibility that comes with it.
“With rapid technological advancement, people need to be aware about healthy media usage,” Prof Masoodi said, while reiterating the importance of experiential-learning by conducting such workshops.
Head, MERC, Prof Sabeha Mufti said that the Centre is striving to provide quality training to students and also aims to contribute by way of quality research.
“With the proliferation of misinformation and fake news, the importance of fact-checking and media literacy has become more critical,” Prof Sabeha Mufti added.
The main highlight of the event were the insights shared by Deputy Editor Logically Facts, Shreyashi Roy and Head, Logically Facts-India, Kritika Goel, who shed light on the significance of fact-checking and delved into the recent instances of disinformation and misinformation prevalent worldwide.
Underscoring the urgency of looking into misinformation and disinformation, Workshop Coordinator, Prof Syeda Afshana, said the aim is to cultivate skepticism and critical thinking, orient students with the tools to combat falsehoods and stand firm in commitment to accuracy and impartiality.
“In today’s digital age, information is power but misinformation is turning absolutely powerful and the trend is posing an alarming threat especially for media students tasked with upholding truth,” Prof Syeda Afshana maintained.
The inaugural session also witnessed the release of ‘Media Times’, the Centre’s annual journal.
MERC faculty, Prof Aaliya Ahmed, Prof Malik Zahra, Dr Irfan Hashim, Dr Adil Bakshi, besides scholars and students attended the function.
MERC Faculty, Dr Rashid Maqbool conducted the proceedings while as Co-coordinator of the workshop, Dr Afsana Rashid, presented the formal vote of thanks.