The Press and Disinformation: Reporting Challenges and Strategies for Independent Journalists

• Florence School of Transnational Governance
• European Digital Media Observatory
• European Media and Information Fund

This event, organised in collaboration with the European Digital Media Observatory (EDMO) and the European Media and Information Fund (EMIF), explores the role of the press in addressing disinformation and the strategies independent journalists use to navigate this complex landscape. This seminar series is organised only for the members of the European University Institute (EUI).

Both sessions will be led by Javier Espinoza, Europe Executive Director of Capitol Forum, former EU Correspondent at the Financial Times and Visiting Fellow at the Florence School of Transnational Governance. The conversation will be chaired by Paula Gori, Coordinator and Secretary-General of EDMO.

In the first session on 28 April, Javier Espinoza will talk about the role of the press in reporting on disinformation. He will provide an overview of the Digital Services Act (DSA), explaining its origins, objectives, and enforcement mechanisms, particularly in relation to disinformation. He will then focus on how the press investigates such a framework, how it reports on it and which responsibility it has in communicating about both the policy framework and disinformation.

In the second session on 30 April, Javier Espinoza will lead a hands-on workshop on tackling disinformation, analysing a Financial Times’ article on how regulators address Russian disinformation. The session will delve into how journalists evaluate sources, rank information, and structure their reporting.