Project Information
24/08/2025 9.30 AM - 11 AM
R. Venkatesh, Director of Training and Research at BOOM Live, leads engaging sessions on fact-checking, verification, and digital safety, drawing on his deep expertise in tackling misinformation. A former John S. Knight Journalism Fellow at Stanford University and ICFJ Knight Fellow, he has pioneered initiatives like Media Buddhi, a media literacy programme that equips participants to navigate the digital landscape safely and ethically.
His workshops aim to protect public discourse and restore community trust by addressing real-world challenges faced by journalists, students, and community leaders. Participants are introduced to practical tools and methods: verifying sources through cross-referencing, conducting reverse image searches with Google Reverse Image or TinEye, spotting fake news through patterns in viral content, and applying geolocation tools for field verification. Attendees also learn to identify red flags in online information — such as inconsistent metadata or manipulated media — insights rooted in Venkatesh’s work tracking disinformation during India’s 2019 elections.
The sessions are highly interactive, with hands-on exercises where participants analyze sample social media posts and practice debunking false claims. Drawing on his experience founding the Ekta News Coalition in 2018 — a collaboration with partners like BBC and India Today that piloted joint verification during the Rajasthan elections — Venkatesh ensures the training remains localized, inclusive, and multilingual, addressing community-specific concerns.
His prior roles as Senior Anchor at CNN-IBN and founding editor of The Quint bring a strong ethical dimension, emphasizing the importance of credibility and responsible storytelling. As an ICFJ Knight Fellow, he restructured newsroom training curricula in India, building data and multimedia skills for more rigorous reporting on health, development, and governance.
Grounded in collaborations with global institutions such as the Pulitzer Center, his workshops empower local voices with practical, data-driven strategies. Participants leave with actionable tools — from creating personal verification checklists to applying fact-checking techniques in their own communities. Through initiatives like BOOM’s teen workshops on online safety, Venkatesh has already shown real-life impact, making the digital world less opaque and more accountable.
Ultimately, his sessions go beyond skills training: they cultivate civic awareness, strengthen resilience against misinformation, and inspire participants to become active defenders of truth in their own contexts.