The masterclass on “Fact-Checking: Countering Fake News in Modern Media for supporting Democracies” kicked off in Lahore on August 29, 2022. The five-day in-residence program is organized by the Pakistan-U.S. Alumni Network (PUAN) and the Department of Humanities, Forman Christian College (A Chartered University).

The inaugural session started with welcome notes by Mr. Karl Rogers, Deputy Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Lahore, and Mr. Paul Giblin, a Public Democracy Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad. Dr. Jonathan S. Addleton, Rector at FCCU, and Prof. Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan, the Dean of Humanities at FCCU, also welcomed the participants and discussed the importance of fact-checking in the modern media environment.

The sessions on the first day focused on understanding the psychology behind fake news and how misinformation and disinformation spread in different media systems.

The theoretical session outlined the news media system, and how it works. Practical sessions were comprised of fruitful discussions on the psychology behind fake news, and insightful analysis of experts on the methodology to detect fake news. The discussion encompassed drawbacks and damage caused by fake news. Dr. Altaf Ullah Khan, Mr. Murtaza Dar, Founder Views Matter, and Mr. Adnan Adil, ICFJ Consultant and Senior Journalist conducted workshops and discussed the practice of journalism in the age of fake news. The day ended with a panel discussion with FCCU students moderated by Mr. Adeel Ahmad Amir, Assistant Professor at the Department of Mass Communication at FCCU.

The five-day masterclass will run from Aug. 29 through Sept. 02, 2022. Journalists, editors, and media alumni experts from all over Pakistan are attending the masterclass.

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https://www.facebook.com/PakUSAlumni/photos/pcb.8202652043108147/8202644903108861/