U.S. Consul General Emphasizes the Role of Free Press in Democracy at Odisha Journalists’ Training Program

Bhubaneswar: Jennifer Larson, Consul General of the U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, stressed the importance of a free and open press as a cornerstone of democracy while addressing over 30 journalists from Odisha.

Speaking at the valedictory session of the Countering Disinformation for Odisha Journalists training program held at KIIT campus, Larson praised the participants’ commitment to responsible journalism, emphasizing their role in ensuring the public has access to accurate, verified information.

“A free and open press is the cornerstone of any democracy,” Larson remarked. “Your commitment to fact-checking and responsible journalism is commendable and sets a high standard for others to follow.” She highlighted the importance of combating disinformation and praised the training program for equipping journalists with tools to identify and counter misleading information.

The training program, financially supported by the U.S. Consulate General Hyderabad, provided specialized fact-checking skills to journalists from Telugu, Urdu, and Odia media outlets across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and Odisha. Larson encouraged participants to continue applying their newly acquired skills to promote truth and transparency in their reporting.

Organized by the Department of Journalism, Osmania University in coordination with the Odisha Women in Media (OWM) group, the program aimed to empower journalists with techniques to combat misinformation. The event also featured presentations by participants, showcasing the practical impact of the training. Many attendees have already started implementing fact-checking techniques in their newsrooms, verifying videos, photos, and audio before publishing stories. Some have also begun sharing these skills with colleagues.

Gyan Ranjan Mohanty, KIIT Registrar, Sulochana Das, Bhubaneswar Mayor, and Dr. Rajeev Panda, Associate Dean of the School of Communication, KIIT, were among the dignitaries in attendance. Consul General Larson acknowledged the dedication of the organizers and distributed certificates to the participants, recognizing their efforts to uphold journalistic integrity.