Three-in-one support for Kashf Media

Founded just two years ago by a group of journalists who wanted to strengthen local journalism, Kashf Media provides Tunisian citizens with high-quality, verified and pluralistic national and local information. 

As part of the MediaLab Investigation project, CFI worked with this media outlet to improve its journalists’ fact-checking abilities, as well as to enhance its website to ensure better visibility of its content. 

Firstly, the team at Kashf Media was able to benefit from training on fact-checking and how to combat fake news online. This face-to-face training brought together a dozen regional collaborators in Tunis for two days of discussions and workshops focusing on changes to the information landscape, risks related to the spread of false information and how to approach fact-checking. 

Breaking down fake news 

A second step of the programme involved supporting the media outlet in setting up a fact-checking cell within its editorial board. Four journalists were able to follow and verify the statements and information given by Tunisian political figures in the field of health, in particular regarding Covid-19 and the management of the health crisis. The work carried out by these journalists during the spring of 2022 has made it possible to break down the false or erroneous information that sometimes circulates on social networks and provide citizens with verified material. The team was then able to put into practice the knowledge and tools that they acquired during the training.

Finally, improvements to the website have given the fact-checking cell’s publications a far greater impact. The Kashf Media team received expert help to make their website more attractive. After several discussions and a week of on-site support, the expert provided a list of recommendations and practical advice to be implemented. The journalists also worked on the visibility of publications and interaction with the public in order to expand their reach.

This three-step support programme was a great help to the team: “It’s the best training I’ve ever done. It really helped me to build our website. We now know the best way of presenting a publication and the most appropriate means of dissemination,” says Aymen Touihri, Journalist and Founder of Kashf Media. 

The media outlet has also invested in a TV studio in order to launch a web TV channel, which will allow it to expand its information distribution channels and improve its live broadcasts.