A 2-day online capacity building training on investigative journalism for journalists and journalism students was organised in Guwahati on July 25-26.
The training was a collaborative effort of the department of Mass Communication, Assam Don Bosco University (ADBU), Guwahati Press Club, Centre for Investigative Journalism (India) and DataLEADS.
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The key objectives of the training programme were to increase the understanding of investigative journalism and improve the knowledge and capacity of journalists to effectively report investigative stories.
It was also aimed at building the professional skills of journalists and the knowledge of quality journalism standards in the field of investigative reporting, and imparting skills on the tools and techniques of investigative reporting.
The resource persons for the first day were David E Kaplan, executive director of Global Investigative Journalism Network and Sonia Bhaskar, head, TV-Web Synergy, NDTV.
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Kaplan while delivering his lecture on the topic ‘Art and Craft of Investigative Journalism’ highlighted the five frames of investigative journalism and the challenges and opportunities in the field.
Sonia Bhaskar delivered her lecture on ‘Online tools for Verification of Content’ and demonstrated the free online tools that journalists can utilise to fact-check information.
On the second day, Supreme Court lawyer Nisha Bhambhani delivered a lecture on ‘Legal and Ethical Concerns of Investigative Journalism’, said a press release.
Bhambhani oriented the participants on the various legal concerns of investigative reporting in India including Defamation Act, sedition, privacy issues, disclosure/confidentiality of sources, RTI Act, IT Act, and Official Secrets Act.
The founder and editor-in-chief of DataLEADS, Syed Nazakat delivered his lecture on ‘Emerging Trends in Investigative Journalism’.
Nazakat highlighted the major developments in investigative journalism globally, importance of collaboration among media enterprises, the wide-ranging and profound influence of artificial intelligence (AI) on the production and consumption of news.
Nazakat also spoke on the successful adoption of AI in newsrooms.
The two-day capacity building training programme was moderated by Kaushik Bhuyan and Arup Baruah, Assistant Professors of Assam Don Bosco University, the release added.