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Transcript/ScriptPF LIBERIA ELECTION FACT CHECKING (TV/R)
HEADLINE: Fact-Checkers Keeping Liberia Calmer During Elections Process
TEASER:
PUBLISHED AT: 10/18/2023 at 7:45p
BYLINE: Senanu Tord
CONTRIBUTOR:
DATELINE: Monrovia, Liberia
VIDEOGRAPHER: Senanu Tord
VIDEO EDITOR:
ASSIGNING EDITOR: Purnell Murdock/Jessica Jerreat
SCRIPT EDITORS: Reifenrath,
VIDEO SOURCE(S): VOA Original
PLATFORMS (mark with X): WEB __ TV X RADIO X
TRT: 3:22
VID APPROVED BY: Jepsen
TYPE: TVPKG/RADIO
EDITOR NOTES:
((INTRO))
[[Fact-checkers in Liberia are helping sanitize Liberia's media space in an election season that political watchers describe as volatile. By verifying and dispelling negative claims by political parties and supporters on traditional and social media, fact-checkers say they have been able to reduce incidents of chaos during the election process. Senanu Tord reports from Monrovia, Liberia.]]
((NARRATOR))
In the Waterside market in Monrovia, Liberia, fact-checking journalists interview market traders and authorities to verify a riot reported on social media a few hours earlier. They say the news had caused fear and panic and agitated sections of the youth. They found, however, that the social media report was misleading, another false report like the ones they say have been flooding Liberia’s media landscape during the ongoing election season.
Alpha Daffae Senkpeni is the executive director of Local Voices Liberia, a fact-checking agency in Liberia funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. He says political parties and their supporters are inciting violence through fake news.
((Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, Local Voices Liberia))((English, 24 secs)),
“We have a huge portion of our population that is illiterate. So the possibility of trying to analyze or dissect disinformation from facts becomes a problem. So people tend to run with what they hear. So if we have certain disinformation that we may rate dangerous, permeating the society, getting entrenched into the society, it might lead to violence”
((NARRATOR))
In its examination of pre-election violence that killed two people in September, the Press Union of Liberia says three radio stations in Lofa County, funded by politicians from different divides, may have incited people against one another. The union is still investigating the incident.
[[Radio: Daniel Nyakonah is the acting president of the Press Union of Liberia.]]
((Daniel Nyakonah, Press Union of Liberia Acting President (male, English)))
“Community members were complaining that rival stations were inciting one another against community members. So we had to intervene and talk to them. Like four to five days (later), the violence started.”
Election results dragged past one week after voting day, fueling tension and speculation about tallying and results rigging. Local Voices Liberia says politicians and propagandists used the credibility of international observer missions from the European Union and the African Union to create fake results and speculations over social media.
Senkpeni says they have had to race act quickly to stop the spread of disinformation.
((Alpha Daffae Senkpeni, Local Voices Liberia))
“If you are able to cut that disinformation by providing the facts as soon as you come across that disinformation, it limits the tension amongst the citizenry.”
The Press Union of Liberia says it is putting measures in place to track fake news and hold people accountable for what they share on traditional and social media, including hate speeches.
((Daniel Nyakonah, Press Union of Liberia Acting President))((English, 24 secs))
“We track ethical transgressions, so these journalists from the ethical transgressions, we transfer them to the National Media Council, who will in turn investigate their conduct. // We will forward the findings to the media council, who will move on to investigate people actually involved with those perceived and inciting comments”
As Liberia’s election appears to head toward a runoff, media watchers continue to advocate for responsible journalism to promote peace.
Senanu Tord, VOA News, Monrovia.
NewsML Media TopicsArts, Culture, Entertainment and Media
NetworkVOA
Location (dateline)
Monrovia
Embargo DateOctober 18, 2023 22:59 EDT
Byline
Senanu Tord, VOA News
Brand / Language ServiceVoice of America - English
