Members of the Nigeria Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ) in Ebonyi State have been urged to uphold the highest standards of ethics and to embrace digital fact-checking tools to combat fake news, misinformation towards strengthening public trust in the media.
The charge was given during a capacity-building workshop organised by the Association in collaboration with the Manager of News at the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Abakaliki, Mrs. Fortunate Ozo, on how to enhance their skills in ethical reporting, fact-checking techniques, and responsible digital journalism.
Speaking during the workshop, Mrs. Ozo said the changing media landscape requires journalists to continuously update their knowledge and professional skills to remain credible and relevant. She noted that the rapid migration of information to digital platforms has made it imperative for journalists to verify information before publication.
She urged female journalists to remain committed to truth, objectivity and responsible reporting, stressing that accurate journalism is essential for maintaining public trust.
She described misinformation, disinformation, fake news and hate speech as serious threats capable of undermining public confidence, social harmony and national development. Mrs. Ozo also introduced participants to digital fact-checking tools, including Google Lens, TinEye and other verification platforms, adding that more advanced training sessions would be organised to further strengthen journalists’ capacity.
In her remarks, the Chairperson of NAWOJ in Ebonyi State, Ms. Nkechinyere Oginyi, commended Mrs. Ozo for facilitating the workshop and urged participants to apply the knowledge acquired in their daily news gathering, reporting and programme production.
She described the training as timely and expressed optimism that it would strengthen the capacity of female journalists to produce accurate, ethical, and evidence-based reports while fostering a culture of verification and professional excellence within newsrooms.(Core Valid News)
