Clickbait, chaos and credibility: how too spot fake news

CLICKBAIT, CHAOS AND CREDIBILITY: HOW TO SPOT FAKE NEWS

Paula Slier, media trainer, war correspondent; CEO, Newshound Media International and Newshound Academy

Thursday 22 January  11.15 am  COURSE FEES R115; Staff and students R58

What if everything you believed about a story was wrong? In a world where headlines scream louder than facts and viral posts outrun the truth, knowing how to spot fake news is not a luxury – it is essential.

In this honest and eye-opening lecture Paula Slier unpacks the chaos of today’s information landscape. From doctored images to AI-generated lies, she explores how misinformation is created, why it spreads so easily, and what it means for how we see the world.

This lecture won’t just teach you how to spot fake news – it will help you understand the systems behind it. With real examples and practical takeaways, you will begin to sharpen your media literacy skills and learn how to read more critically, question more confidently, and resist the emotional pull of false narratives.

Whether you are a news junkie or not, or simply overwhelmed by the digital noise, this lecture will give you a fresh lens through which to view the chaos – and the credibility – around you.

Recommended reading

Burley, R. 2020. Bad News: What the Headlines Don’t Tell Us. London: Biteback Publishing. Council of Europe. 2017. Fake News and the Manipulation of Public Opinion.

Herman, ES and Chomsky, N. 1998. Manufacturing Consent: The Political Economy of the Mass Media. New York: Pantheon Books.

Wineberg, S and McGrew, S. 2017. Lateral Reading: Reading Less and Learning More When Evaluating Digital Information. Stanford: Stanford History Education Group.

TO BOOK: https://www.webtickets.co.za/performance.aspx?itemid=1575430679

Paula Slier is an international war correspondent and the founder of Newshound Media International. She served as Middle East Bureau Chief and Head of Africa for RT for 18 years. Slier has reported from over 40 countries including Israel, Gaza, Syria, Lebanon, Ukraine and Russia. She has also worked for several major international news networks including Reuters Africa, CNN World Report, Channel News Asia, Eyewitness News, Carte Blanche and i24 News. She has covered major conflicts and humanitarian crises for more than two decades. A South African native, she is a frequent speaker on media ethics and conflict journalism. Her work is known for its honesty,courage, and compassion.