Main goal of the project
The project aims to expose the foreign propaganda influence through watchdog journalism and use the research results to educate the public in an understandable manner, in order to make it widely recognized as a priority issue that requires urgent response.
Specific objectives
- To increase awareness and knowledge of decision-makers and the general public about the nature and effect of foreign malign propaganda and disinformation in North Macedonia.
- To strengthen the capacities of individual journalists and media outlets for fact-based watchdog journalism focused on exposing malign influences.
- Public Outreach and Advocacy for increased public debate and demand for constructive policy measures.
Target groups
- The general public as a group that is the most affected and influenced by the foreign malign influences;
2. National and regional newsrooms and journalists;
3. Civil society organizations
4. Public/state institutions included in the fight against malign foreign influences.
Expected results
After project completion, journalists, citizens and decision makers will have at their disposal a body of evidence that can be used in any public debate to refute the claims by those who deny or minimize the impact of this foreign malign influence. The ensuing public debate will shift the public opinion toward increased resilience and spur mobilization via infusion of knowledge, media literacy skills, increasing citizen demand for better institutional response to these kinds of threats to democracy.
Project activities
- Create a wide array of resources detailing the nature and effect of foreign malign propaganda and disinformation in North Macedonia. The content created by the project will serve as an educational resource to be used by stakeholders and anyone interested that rarely have access to documentation about foreign influence in North Macedonia, as mainstream media generally ignore this issue.
- Publicly disseminate and promote media content aimed at countering foreign malign propaganda and disinformation, in Macedonian, Albanian and English languages. Metamorphosis team will disseminate the anti-disinformation content produced by the media network by implementing a publicity campaign aimed at educating the general public about the properties and effects of disinformation and propaganda.
- Advocacy event to increase policy makers’ engagement against foreign toxic influences. Metamorphosis will organize advocacy events with decision makers from state institutions on one hand, and representatives of media, civil society (media organizations and organizations engaged in countering disinformation, as well as national security issues and foreign experts) and academia on another.
Project duration: 1 year (12 months)
Financial support: National endowment for Democracy (NED)
