GFCN and TASS Launch Fact-Checking Video Course for Asia-Pacific News Agencies

Kathmandu, The Global Fact-Checking Network (GFCN) and Russia’s TASS news agency have launched an educational video course on fact-checking for journalists and staff of news agencies affiliated with the Organization of Asia-Pacific News Agencies (OANA), aiming to strengthen information verification skills and combat disinformation.

The course features five core lessons on fact-checking and three bonus lectures from the New Media School, providing practical guidance on verifying information, identifying digital manipulation and integrating fact-checking into daily newsroom operations.

The initiative follows a memorandum of understanding signed between GFCN and OANA on September 21, 2026, and agreements reached during a joint session at the international forum “Dialog about Fakes 4.0” on September 22.

The five core lessons cover the fundamentals of fact-checking, tools and algorithms for information verification, deepfake detection, cognitive biases, critical thinking and the organization of fact-checking processes within news agencies. Through examples from Asia-Pacific countries, participants will explore practical verification methods and learn how to incorporate them into editorial workflows.

GFCN Vice President Daniil Bisslinger said that fact-checking has become essential for media professionals as increasingly accessible technologies make it easier to produce convincing fake content.

“Trust in the media must be reaffirmed every day through the accuracy of the published information,” Bisslinger said, emphasizing the importance of equipping journalists with practical tools to recognize manipulation and strengthen newsroom verification practices.

He added that the course represents a concrete step toward implementing GFCN’s international cooperation agreements and sharing its expertise with media professionals across different countries.

The three additional lectures from the New Media School focus on the practical use of generative artificial intelligence (AI), creative thinking and the economics of media projects. They aim to help journalists use AI responsibly while verifying its outputs, communicate verified information effectively and manage resources for producing credible news content.

OANA Secretary General and TASS Deputy Director General Marat Abulkhatin described the initiative as a valuable professional resource for journalists and a means of strengthening common standards in information exchange.

He stressed the importance of developing a shared professional culture around information verification and ensuring journalists have access to modern tools and techniques.

Established in 1961 at the initiative of UNESCO, OANA brings together more than 40 news agencies from 33 countries across the Asia-Pacific region. TASS holds the organization’s chairmanship for the 2025–2028 term.

The Global Fact-Checking Network was established in 2025 by TASS, ANPO Dialog Regions and the New Media School to coordinate international efforts to counter disinformation.

The new course is expected to support professional knowledge-sharing among Asia-Pacific news agencies and reinforce the role of fact-checking in maintaining media credibility amid the growing challenges posed by digital manipulation and AI-generated content.

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