Craig Newmark Philanthropies Backs ICFJ's New Global Effort to Help the Truth Go Viral

By: ICFJ | 03/29/2018
Countering Disinformation: TruthBuzz Fellows will work in newsrooms in Brazil, Nigeria, India, Indonesia and the U.S.

Countering Disinformation: TruthBuzz Fellows will work in newsrooms in Brazil, Nigeria, India, Indonesia and the U.S.

With the support of Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is expanding its TruthBuzz initiative, designed to find new ways to help verified facts reach the widest possible audience. The initial TruthBuzz contest uncovered exciting and effective methods for countering disinformation and sharing instantly understandable fact-checking.

Now, TruthBuzz 2.0 will bring these and other innovative fact-checking techniques to newsrooms in five of the most populous nations: Brazil, India, Indonesia, Nigeria and the United States. TruthBuzz will embed experts in these outlets to help reporters adopt compelling storytelling methods that improve the reach and impact of fact-checking. The goal is to fight misleading information and build trust with audiences. These TruthBuzz Fellows will collaborate on projects and share novel approaches.

“Now that we’ve discovered some key ways to help the truth go viral, we want to spread the word to newsrooms far and wide,” said ICFJ President Joyce Barnathan. “We aim to have news organizations share fact-checked information in a compelling way.”

Adds Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and Craig Newmark Philanthropies: “People of good will want news they can trust, and that requires global truth-telling and fact-checking. ICFJ is taking the next step toward making that a reality.”

ICFJ will recruit and train five media professionals who will be embedded for up to six months in several news outlets in each country. The TruthBuzz Fellowships are modeled after ICFJ’s flagship program, the Knight Fellowships, which have a strong track record of driving sustainable change in newsrooms. The new Fellows will work closely with seasoned ICFJ Knight Fellows around the world.

ICFJ will also collaborate on TruthBuzz with First Draft, a project of the Shorenstein Center at the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. First Draft will provide additional training in target countries on how to verify information and debunk falsehoods. TruthBuzz Fellows will develop case studies to help news outlets in other countries carry out the same mission.

Interested in being a TruthBuzz Fellow? Learn more and apply. ICFJ will consider candidates on a rolling basis, that means that we will start conducting interviews as soon as appropriate candidates are identified. We may close applications if we select a Fellow before the deadline (May 20), so please submit applications as soon as possible.

About ICFJ

ICFJ empowers journalists to deliver trustworthy news essential for vibrant societies. Working at the nexus of journalism and technology, we build the expertise and storytelling skills of reporters worldwide. We promote high-impact journalism that leads to better lives.

About Craig Newmark Philanthropies

In 2016, craigslist founder Craig Newmark created Craig Newmark Philanthropies to support and connect nonprofit communities and drive powerful civic engagement. Craig Newmark Philanthropies works to advance the people and grassroots organizations that are "getting stuff done" in the areas of trustworthy journalism, voting rights, women in tech, and veterans and military families.

Related Programs
TruthBuzz: Making the Truth Go Viral
Topics
Media Innovation

Latest News

Sharon Moshavi on Journalism, Disinformation and Why Facts Still Matter

Sharon Moshavi, the president of the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ), recently joined the Ink and Insights podcast for a wide-ranging conversation on the future of journalism and the evolving information ecosystem. The interview, hosted by author and storyteller Sumit Sharma Sameer, touched on the growing role of AI in both enhancing and undermining journalistic work, the importance of audience-centric innovation and why young reporters must build subject-matter and tech fluency to stay resilient in the industry.

ICFJ Knight Fellow Sannuta Raghu Says “Fidelity to Source” is Vital When Using AI

Newsrooms globally have begun exploring ways to convert their journalism into different formats using AI: for example, from text articles to videos, podcasts, infographics and more. As they do so, the core challenge isn’t just accuracy – it’s rigor. Journalists strive to get facts right and attribute them clearly, avoid bias, verify claims, and maintain transparency. When AI is used to convert a work of journalism from one form to another, the same rigor may not carry over.

A Reporter's Guide to The History of Tariffs

For most of human history, governments have taxed goods crossing their borders. Tariffs — taxes levied on imports or exports — have financed empires, protected domestic industries, and punished foreign rivals. They’ve sparked wars, crashed economies, and redefined alliances. Yet today’s tariff war between the United States and the world doesn’t fit neatly into any of the old molds. Rather than being a tool to nurture domestic industry or fill government coffers, tariffs are now being wielded as weapons in a sprawling contest over global power and economic dominance.