THE Pulitzer Center is seeking applications for in-depth and investigative stories related to science misinformation, science denial, and the spread of pseudoscience while using journalistic approaches to identify and address the scourge of scientific misinformation and disinformation.
The opportunity is for its new grant initiative, Truth Decay funded by the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s (HHMI) Department of Science Education. It is open to all newsroom staff and independent journalists in the United States and abroad.
In a statement, the Pulitzer Center stated that the objective of the initiative is to expose the purveyors and platforms that spread science misinformation and disinformation with accountability journalism and to support newsrooms and journalists to develop their own innovative responses to the spread of mistruths in their communities or countries.
The center is hoping to receive pitches that explore reasons and methods on how scientific misinformation spreads, journalists roles in exposing and countering it, the challenges involved, the sponsors and the different perspectives on pseudoscience and misinformation in the mass media and society.
Ideas related to science and misinformation which resonate with your audiences and communities most, are essential as the initiative is a first of its kind. The center is open to all forms of investigative journalism for the initiative, from data journalism, radio and podcasts, to news and documentary videos.
It also encourages potential grantees to bring proposals with creative and innovative solutions for reaching new audiences on a variety of platforms such as Instagram or TikTok. Apart from these mediums, other creative options for audience reach include shortwave radio features with Indigenous tribes, bus stop poster campaigns, comic books and poetry performances are also welcome.
Topics of any type is welcomed by the center as long as they are underreported and relate to the spread of science misinformation, science denial or disinformation.
Seasoned fact-checker and researcher Fatimah Quadri has written numerous fact-checks, explainers, and media literacy pieces for The FactCheckHub in an effort to combat information disorder. She can be reached at sunmibola_q on X or [email protected].
