KUNA Media Capacity Development Center Concludes 'Media Monitoring of News and Rumors' Training Program
The KUNA Center concluded a training program on monitoring news and rumors, with participation from agency staff.
Translated by Qiyas from كونا — Original source
Kuwait City, 17 September (KUNA) -- The KUNA Media Capacity Development Center concluded its training program, “Media Monitoring of News and Rumors,” on Thursday, with participation from several staff members of the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA). The program covered concepts of media monitoring, mechanisms for verifying news, and strategies for handling rumors amid the rapid developments characterizing the current media landscape.
The program, presented by media and communications consultant Ikhlas Al-Qadhi and launched last Sunday, aimed to enhance participants’ skills in monitoring, analyzing, and verifying the sources of news and rumors, as well as handling them professionally. This contributes to raising the standard of media practice and improving the accuracy of disseminated information.
The curriculum addressed the concept of rumors, their types, causes of spread, and their impact on society, as well as the distinction between rumors and verified news. It also covered the nature of media monitoring reports, common errors encountered by professionals in news monitoring, and the key pillars and criteria necessary for confirming the accuracy of information.
The program, which combined theoretical and practical approaches, highlighted best practices for containing rumors, modern alternative terminology for handling fake news in media interactions, methods for refuting incorrect news, and drafting official denial statements. It also examined social media algorithms and their influence on the spread of information and rumors, as well as artificial intelligence tools used in this field.
In a statement to KUNA, program instructor Ikhlas Al-Qadhi emphasized that the program’s importance stems from its alignment with the rapid transformations in the media landscape, which have posed new challenges for media professionals amid the massive flow of information and the swift dissemination of news and rumors across various platforms.
Al-Qadhi noted that possessing monitoring and verification skills is no longer optional for media professionals but has become a fundamental requirement for professional practice in a media environment that demands rapid access to information while maintaining its accuracy and credibility. She added that it is essential to understand the impact of algorithms and AI tools on the spread of rumors, as well as the methods and means for detecting AI-generated rumors.
She pointed out that the program sought to equip trainees with the knowledge and practical tools needed to distinguish between news and rumors, verify information sources, monitor and professionally analyze circulating content, handle rumors during crises, and craft appropriate media messages to mitigate their impact.
She stressed that media institutions need personnel capable of efficiently managing the growing volume of information and confronting fake news and rumors that could influence public opinion and the reputation of institutions.
Established in December 1995, the KUNA Media Capacity Development Center is one of the most prominent media training centers, having delivered hundreds of training programs in various media fields. Its objective is to develop the personal capacities and potential of media professionals and to elevate the standards of professional media practice. (End) M.D.M.
