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By Lilian Nkem-Worluh
Journalists have been asked to always fact-check to verify the authenticity of videos, pictures, audio and news stories before sharing or publishing.
This charge was handed down by Kemi Busari, editor, Dubawa Nigeria at a two-day digital verification and fact-checking workshop organised by Dubawa Nigeria and Centre for Investigative Journalism for journalists in Rivers State
Busari noted that fact-checking is the process of verifying information with the intent of determining its correctness
He said that it is imperative for journalists, in the 21st century, to ensure that information they give is authentic so as to avoid causing chaos
Busari advised journalists to be weary and not be deceived by doctored images, opinion disguised as fact as well as false statistics by candidates of political parties, especially as the country is set for electoral processes
Other things a journalist should do to verify whether a claim is true or false is by investigating through internet-search, geographical mapping, speaking with human sources as well as search through documents.
Also, Caroline Anipah, deputy director, verification and media literacy practice at the Centre for Investigative Journalism Development (CJID) called on journalists to be sure they get their facts right as not to misinform or dis-inform the society.
She stressed that press men as the 4th estate of the realm should be at alert to know when content is manipulated, false, misleading, fabricated or a satire.
The chairman of NUJ Rivers State chapter, Stanley Job Stanley advised journalists to always report fact. He called on politicians to conduct themselves peacefully to make the job of reporters easy as the election draws closer.
Stanley regretted that journalists face so much danger and called for laws that will protect them, while thanking Dubawa Nigeria and Center for Investigative Journalism and Development for their effort to keep journalists abreast of digital ways of fact checking stories, videos, audio and pictures before sharing or publishing.
