Solomon Islands journalists enhance skills in fact-checking and verification training
Journalists in Honiara completed a four-day fact-checking and verification training to strengthen integrity, accuracy, and resilience in reporting.
Group photo of the journalists with their certificates.
The training brought together participants from a wide range of mainstream media organisations, including the Solomon Islands Broadcasting Corporation (SIBC), ZFM, Island Sun, Solomon Star, Barava FM, Sunday Isles, as well as a representative from the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force (RSIPF) media and communications unit.
Delivered with support from BBC Media Action, the workshop provided participants with both foundational knowledge and practical tools to enhance their reporting skills.
The programme commenced with an introduction to the principles of factchecking and verification before progressing to more advanced topics and resources used by journalists globally.
Over the four days, participants explored a diverse range of subjects, including:
- fact-checking methodologies and verification techniques
- video and image verification
- Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools and applications
- identifying inconsistencies and investigative analysis (“what does not add up”)
- transparency, digital forensics, and analytical approaches
- debunking deepfakes and emerging misinformation tactics
- digital safety and wellbeing for journalists
- responsible handling of press releases and information sources
- addressing misinformation and disinformation, including in elections
- tracking tools, including plane and ship monitoring
- reporting in complex scenarios such as motions of no-confidence, health outbreaks, and natural disasters
- navigating the challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence (GenAI)
Training materials were developed by Flora Carmichael of BBC Verify, a globally recognised leader in verification journalism. These materials were adapted to reflect Solomon Islands context by local trainers Irwin Angiki, Editor of Island Sun, and Fredrick Kusu, Editor of SIBC.
Both trainers previously completed a senior editor Training of Trainers (ToT) programme in March 2026 in Suva, Fiji, equipping them to deliver contextually relevant and impactful training at the national level.
This initiative underscores the growing importance of equipping journalists with the skills and tools needed to combat misinformation and disinformation, particularly in an era of rapidly evolving digital technologies.
By strengthening verification capacity within the media sector, the training contributes to promoting informed public discourse, accountability, and trust in journalism across Solomon Islands.
BBC Media Action’s support reflects its continued commitment to fostering resilient, independent media systems and empowering journalists to deliver accurate, trustworthy information to their audiences.