TADAM Webinar Series Concludes: Final Webinar Report
On June 26, 2025, the final session of the TADAM webinar series, titled “Disinformation and AI: Towards Media Edukathon,” brought together over twenty participants from around the world to explore how artificial intelligence (AI), disinformation, and media literacy are connected. The event aimed to foster critical thinking and practical skills through expert insights and collaborative activities.
Opening Remarks
The webinar opened with welcoming remarks from Sirkku Kotilainen of Tampere University, Finland. She introduced the TADAM project and presented the speakers, setting the stage for an engaging and insightful session.
AI Activity: Tools for Journalistic Practices
A collaborative activity led by Maarit Jaakkola from Nordicom, Sweden, involved group testing of AI tools used in journalism. Participants explored how AI can support journalistic work across various formats, including text, audio, visual, and audiovisual content. The activity encouraged hands-on experimentation with a range of AI tools.
Panel Discussion: The Impact of AI on Journalism
Moderated by Sirkku Kotilainen, the panel discussion featured a diverse group of experts:
- Jon Schleuss, President of NewsGuild, USA
- Mihajlo Lahtov, Media and Information Literacy Specialist, North Macedonia
- Katerina Topalova, Journalist at MRTV, North Macedonia
- Maarit Jaakkola, Co-Director of Nordicom, Sweden
The panelists discussed AI’s dual impact on journalism – enhancing efficiency and innovation while also raising concerns around disinformation, algorithmic bias, and declining public trust. The conversation underscored the need for ethical standards, transparency, and continuous education to navigate these challenges responsibly. These themes were further emphasized in the closing remarks, which outlined the path forward towards the Media Edukathon.
Organizing team:
Sirkku Kotilainen (Tampere University, Finland)
Tuulikki Alamettälä (Tampere University, Finland)
Monika Aksentievska (Institute of Communication Studies, Macedonia)
Nisrine Salameh (International Federation of Journalists, Belgium)
