Announcing new courses from Google News Initiative to help newsrooms continue innovating
In 2018 we launched the Google News Initiative India Training Network, an affirmation of our deep commitment to supporting trusted, authoritative journalism. Along with the Google News Lab, this network has helped train over 35,000 journalists across India to date, to efficiently use free digital tools and resources that help elevate quality journalism, get empowered for sustainable growth, and drive newsroom innovation using cutting-edge technology.
These courses have imparted skills such as the effective use of Google search operators; using reporting-friendly tools such as site-archiving and audio transcription, using web monitoring via Trends and Alerts, and tips on how to verify content through reverse visual searches and geolocating images.
To kick off our work this year, we are pleased to offer the following Google News Initiative training courses as part of our roster of offerings:
Data journalism and visualization | Data GIF Maker, Flourish, Sheets, Earth, Maps, Timelapse: Learn how to find and visualize data easily – no special graphic designing or coding skills needed! By accessing open data and using free tools, pick up skills on collating information and turning that into simple graphs, charts or marker maps. Create richly visual projects with Google Earth and Earth Studio for more compelling storytelling.
Fundamentals | Google Search Operators, Trends, Alerts, Website Analysis: This series will help equip you with the basic tools needed to work more efficiently. From making the best out of Google Drive to smartly using search operators to scour for information, this training looks to arm journalists and editors with handy free tools that can drive deeper reporting.
Digital verification | Reverse Visual Search, Factcheck Explorer, Geolocation, Earth, Street View: One of the biggest challenges facing news organisations today is distinguishing what is real from what isn’t. From identifying altered imagery and manipulated video to identifying and stopping the spread of falsehoods, this session will help you identify the full range of misinformation, disinformation and outright falsehoods that are so often circulated.
Specialized courses | Podcasting, Pinpoint, Environmental journalism tools, digital security, mobile journalism: Explore the beginner’s guide to podcasting, and mobile journalism or sharpen your investigative skills on environmental journalism by toggling with tools that show forest fires, land reclamation, illegal fishing or receding shorelines. Pick up simple ways to safeguard your device and accounts, protecting yourself as a journalist. Upload and collaborate on Pinpoint for reporting projects with large volumes of documents, audio files - enabling seamless editorial teamwork.
To start, our webinars on the topic of Data journalism and visualization will commence on 1st March, 2021. Registrations are now open – we invite newsrooms to sign up here.
For more information on other courses and training material, newsrooms are also welcome to visit g.co/newstraining , or email here to submit a request for training in English. For accessing verification workshops in 10 languages across India, newsrooms can reach out here.
The importance of quality journalism can never be overstated -- especially in these times of healing and recovery for people as well as businesses – where readers continue to depend on the vital role that newsrooms across the country play in delivering authoritative, timely, and trusted news.