The Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs leads Department efforts to expand and strengthen the relationships between the people of the United States and citizens of other countries.
The grant program titled “Countering Disinformation Training for Vernacular Language Journalists” is designed to equip 20 to 25 journalists from five regional languages (Telugu, Tamil, Marathi, Bengali, and Hindi) across Hyderabad, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata, and New Delhi with the skills necessary to counter disinformation. This 18-month-long training will focus on hands-on practices in verifying news, consulting multiple sources, and utilizing fact-checking resources, aiming to build a network of responsible journalists in India who prioritize audience trust and advocate for fact-checking over the rush to be first in breaking the news.