In a year when almost half of the world’s population is expected to go to the polls in national and local elections, the 25th International Symposium on Online Journalism (ISOJ) featured a workshop that offered suggestions on how journalists and media outlets can use YouTube in their election coverage. “Reach is even more critical during an election cycle because there’s a big opportunity to connect people to trustworthy, high-quality election news and information on YouTube given our scale.” — Nicolette Scott, YouTube News Nicolette Scott, strategic partner manager at YouTube News, gave ..read more

While not a journalist himself, the anti-corruption campaigner Alexey Navalny proved that anyone, after training and practice, can master new investigative tools to expose rights abuse at the highest levels of any government and have an outsized impact with viral video on social media channels. Navalny also provided a last-ditch methodology path for watchdog reporters — from Telegram bots and aerial drones to the unorthodox use of sources — to dig into state-backed crime that even law enforcement doesn’t dare investigate. [Navalny’s Anti-Corruption Foundation] was “probably the most effective ..read more

BBC Media Action is seeking a senior producer, social media to lead the digital production team in creating bespoke content for social media on multiple social networks like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and others, including short form video, photos, infographics, and other relevant formats. To promote content on social media in original ways, best suited for each respective platform. To engage online communities and influencers and facilitate conversations on social media. Build the capacity of digital producers to deliver outstanding social media content including line management of specific ..read more

Almost 25 years ago, The Washington Post reported on the first picture delivered by the brand-new Ikonos satellite. It was the first commercial imaging satellite capable of acquiring data that rivaled the resolution of spy satellites. Curiously, the reporter, D’Vera Cohn, failed to mention that one of the industries that would be changed by satellite imagery would be the news business itself. The launch of Ikonos was one of a handful of developments that allowed newsrooms to expand from reporting on rocket launches and satellite hardware, to using remote sensing data as an essential tool to he ..read more

With the progress of generative AI technologies, synthetic media is getting more realistic. Some of these outputs can still be recognized as AI-altered or AI-generated, but the quality we see today represents the lowest level of verisimilitude we can expect from these technologies moving forward. AI detection tools provide results that require informed interpretation, and this can easily mislead users. We work for WITNESS, an organization that is addressing how transparency in AI production can help mitigate the increasing confusion and lack of trust in the information environment. However, di ..read more

..read more

Cross-platform messaging service Telegram now has more than 900 million monthly active users — on track to hit one billion before the end of 2025. It has become a hub for visual evidence for conflicts, but also for illicit activity, extremist groups, and disinformation. Still, it’s a vital resource for people sharing information from war and conflict zones such as Ukraine and Gaza — and for journalists covering them. “Right now, Telegram gives [journalists] the most amount of data… of any social media network.” — Disinformation expert Jane Lytvynenko Because Telegram, unlike other social media ..read more

Background research and data sourcing can be a critical part of investigative journalism, particularly in cross-border reporting projects. To ensure watchdog journalists have the most up-to-date resources, GIJN has reviewed, revised, and updated its topic-specific databases. The partial list of databases is the first of several batched releases to ensure our resource listings are fully current. This database is maintained by the Global Investigative Journalism Network (GIJN) and is one of many resources available at our Resource Center. Resources on Poverty — This database contains reports and ..read more

As dozens of countries brace for an onslaught of local and foreign digital disinformation campaigns in their elections in 2024, Taiwan’s recent experience offers useful lessons for journalists and democracy defenders elsewhere — as well as some much-needed hope. Taiwan’s election revealed disinformation trends for journalists and fact checkers in other countries to flag. Despite its January 13 election being assailed by a deluge of online disinformation — particularly, false voter fraud claims and dire warnings of future war from bad actors in China — new research and independent journalistic ..read more

We are looking for a coordinator with a passion for independent media to join the two-person team managing the running and development of the Reference Circle, a network of 26 European independent public interest media. Reference’s goal is to develop the independent media sector in Europe and provide a space to exchange knowledge on non-editorial, managerial, and organisational challenges, and to advocate for the well-being and sustainability of independent, public interest media. The network is hosted by Arena for Journalism in Europe. The two coordinators work in close collaboratio ..read more