Research Report Launch: How Journalists Find, Verify and Use Climate Information in East Africa
For the past several months, EJN has been engaged in research in East Africa to better understand how journalists find, verify and use information about climate change in the region. We wanted to know: What kinds of information do journalists consider most trustworthy? How do journalists locate that information, and how do they check its accuracy? What do journalists themselves believe about climate change and its causes and effects?
As climate mis/disinformation becomes more and more prevalent around the world, understanding regional dynamics has also become increasingly crucial. Deceptive or misleading content undermines the existence, drivers and impacts of climate change as well as the need for urgent climate action. In Africa, for example, climate misinformation spurs practices that increase fossil fuel use, exacerbate deforestation and result in inadequate preparation for extreme weather events and public health crises. At the same time, it erodes trust in climate scientists and the media.
At this launch event, we presented findings from the research, as well as our recommendations for next steps in media training, further research and capacity-building activities. We also heard a presentation from a keynote speaker, to place the research results within the larger regional context.
Keynote Speaker:
- Wallace Gichunge, founding director of the Centre for Media Literacy in Kenya
Research Presenters:
- Jackline Lidubwi, lead researcher and project coordinator at EJN
- George Wamwea, data analyst
Moderator:
- Kiundu Waweru, project manager for the East Africa Wildlife Journalism Project at EJN
Please click on the speakers' names to download their presentations.