Media literacy becomes more relevant in times of fake news - Media Programme Southeast Europe
Event Reports
On 21st and 22nd September 2017, media experts from all over Europe and the USA got together to discuss the latest media developments and challenges such as fake news and propaganda. The conference was organised by the Evens Foundation (Belgium) in cooperation with the KAS Media Program South East Europe and Mediacentar Sarajevo.
The aim of the event was to strengthen the dialogue and cooperation between the education and the media sectors in order to withstand disinformation and propaganda. The hosts emphasised that it was crucial to further develop citizens' ability to think critically and to distinguish facts from opinions. This applies especially to the younger generation.
The conference was opened by Christian Spahr, Director of the KAS Media Program South East Europe, Paolo Cesarini, Head of Unit at the European Commission (DG CONNECT) and Monique Canto-Sperber, Director of the Evens Foundation. In his opening speech, Spahr underlined that media competence was not just a pedagogic or technological issue, but an important political question in the context of increasing disinformation.
On the first day of the conference, a well-visited panel discussion took place on the subject of "Fake News and European public: How to stand up to disinformation?". The panel was organised by the KAS Media Program South East Europe. Marta Orosz, journalist at the German investigative newsroom Correctiv, Galyna Schimansky-Geier, editor at StopFake.org in Kyiv and Paolo Cesarini from the European Commission took part in the discussion. The debate was moderated by Christian Spahr.
More in the event report.
