PESHAWAR
\nPress Information Department (PID) Peshawar, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here Monday organized a two-day workshop for journalists of Khyber Pakthunkhwa on countering of fake news and misinformation in present era of social and digital media.
\nThe seminar titled \u2018truth in the digital era: strategies for countering fake news in Pakistan\u2019 held here at a local hotel was addressed besides others by President Peshawar Press Club (PPC), Arshad Aziz Malik, senior journalists Asif Nisar Gayasi and Maeraj Farooq.
\nOn the first day of the workshop, the participants were engaged in brainstorming and an extensive interactive session to combat challenges of negative propaganda, fake news and disinformation, which is spreading fast on social and digital media before verified by the journalists.
\nPPC President, Arshid Aziz Malik said that journalism was a sacred profession and 4th pillar of the state and credible news and accurate information is the right of people of Pakistan.
\nHe said that fake news and misinformation have posed serious threats to society in the present era of digitalization and great responsibility rests on media outlets, journalists and editors to ensure that the provided information was true before its publication or airing on TV channels.
\nThe speakers highly appreciated the endeavours of PID Peshawar, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting for conducting such an important workshop on key topic for journalists of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
\nEnlightening the participants on the need and importance of countering fake news and negative propaganda, senior journalist, Asif Nisar Ghayasi said that journalists are eyes and ears of society and for the sake of honour and prestige of reporters\/ anchors should ensure that their filed stories are based on facts, accurate and authentic. He asked the journalists and writers of Pakistan not to tilt towards a specific political party leader and avoid emotionalism.
\nHe highlighted the importance of verifying facts and figures before publication of a news story or column in newspapers, journals or air news or documentary besides keeping national interests and its impact on society in mind.
\nHe said comments of a Govt official, politician or other personality against whom a story was being filed should also be included and underlined the need of such training to journalists by their respective organizations. He appreciated PID Peshawar for holding such an important workshop for journalists of Peshawar.
\nSenior journalist Meraj Farooq said fake news deprives people of credible information and adversely affects the image of a personality or an organization.
\nWhile highlighting the prevailing trend of negative propaganda and fast spreading of misinformation in society, he said that propagandists impose their own opinion on others and urged journalists to verify their news stories after they surface on digital or social media.
\nThe other speakers said that the media was an industry which often uses sensationalism to increase viewership and rating for monetary gains.
\nThey said fake news and misinformation lead to weakening of the moral and social fabric of the society and urged media persons to verify social media\u2019s news as it spread quickly before its publication.
\nThe journalists thanked PID Peshawar for organizing such an important workshop for journalists of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and expressed the hope that more such events would take place in Peshawar soon besides other divisional headquarters for education and information of young media professionals of the province.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PESHAWAR Press Information Department (PID) Peshawar, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting here Monday organized a two-day workshop for journalists of Khyber Pakthunkhwa on countering of fake news and misinformation in present era of social and digital media. The seminar titled \u2018truth in the digital era: strategies for countering fake news in Pakistan\u2019 held here at […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":408277,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-408247","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-peshawar"},"yoast_head":"\n