The European Broadcasting Union has launched Eurovision News Spotlight, a collaborative network for fact-checking and open-source intelligence (OSINT) to equip public service media across Europe with the tools to counter online falsehoods and disinformation.
“In a digital-first world, we face a worsening crisis of inaccurate, false and synthetic information that tests our certainty of truth and reality,” said Liz Corbin, Director of News at the EBU.
“We invite all EBU members and partners to contribute to this powerful collective defence against misinformation as a vital part of public service media's mission to deliver trusted news to all people.”
Under the auspices of Eurovision News, the launch of Spotlight includes 18 EBU members and incorporates the Alliance for Facts project previously coordinated by Radio France with France Télévisions, France Médias Monde, TV5Monde and INA – effectively merging the two initiatives.
Key features of the Eurovision News Spotlight network include:
OSINT & fact-checking: Collaboration on cross-border fact-checking and sharing best practices on a dedicated member-only platform.
Resource-sharing: Participating members will have access to intelligence and information on tools and workflows to enhance their OSINT and fact-checking capabilities.
Training & development: The network will provide courses, tutorials and interactive discussions for members – led by Eurovision News in collaboration with the EBU Academy – to expand their fact-checking and OSINT skills.
More broadly, the network will also produce materials to strengthen the reporting of all EBU members and raise public awareness about misinformation and ways to counter it.
“Public service media have a unique responsibility to act as a harbour of facts in a sea of fakes and uncertainty. But we cannot face these challenges alone. We need ongoing training, effective tools and global collaboration to identify and respond to local threats,” said Florent Latrive, Deputy Director of News at Radio France.
“That’s why, together with all French public media services, we proposed the Alliance for Facts. And that’s also why we’re proud to build Spotlight with the EBU – which is exactly the right place to come together and stand up for the integrity of information.”
The Spotlight network now includes Eurovision News and public broadcasters ORF (Austria), RTBF (Belgium), Czech Television (Czech Republic), Yle (Finland), Radio France, France 24, Radio France Internationale, France Télévisions, TV5MONDE (France, Belgium, Switzerland, Monaco, Canada), Deutsche Welle (Germany), ZDF (Germany), LRT (Lithuania), RTVE (Spain), Sveriges Radio (Sweden), SVT (Sweden), SRF (Switzerland), BBC (United Kingdom) and Radio-Canada.
“Public service media are already the most trusted source of news in more than 90 percent of European countries. In today's media landscape, collaboration is essential for us to uphold the values of accuracy, impartiality and truth for everyone,” said Derek Bowler, Head of Social Newsgathering at Eurovision News.
“By creating Eurovision News Spotlight and calling on more members to join, we’re empowering the public to critically evaluate the information they get, fostering a more informed society and supporting the values of democracy.”
