The University of Melbourne’s Centre for Advancing Journalism has expanded its remit and will be renamed the Centre for Advancing Journalism and Information Integrity, recognising the growing importance of the broader information environment in shaping public understanding, democratic participation and trust.
The Director of the Centre, Professor Andrea Carson, said the renaming was an important reflection of how people encounter and engage with information today.
“People consume information through an enormous range of sources and platforms, and the boundaries between news, political communication, commentary and misinformation are increasingly complex,” Professor Carson said.
“Information integrity is about ensuring people can access reliable, trustworthy and diverse content, while understanding the forces that can distort, manipulate or undermine it.”
Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Professor Jennifer Balint, said the Centre’s expanded remit would strengthen the University’s contribution to an informed public.
“Reliable information is fundamental to democratic life,” Professor Balint said. “As technology changes how people find and share information, universities play a critical role in addressing misinformation and disinformation and supporting our communities.
“The Centre’s expanded focus will help us direct our research, teaching and public engagement towards better understanding and responding to these challenges of democratic resilience. It will also prepare students for a changing journalism profession and connect our academics with journalists and public institutions working to strengthen public trust.”
The announcement was made today at a Melbourne Press Club Event held at Science Gallery Melbourne entitled Protecting Victoria’s democracy ahead of state’s largest-ever election. The event was held in partnership with the Victorian Electoral Commission (VEC). The University of Melbourne is the principal sponsor of the Melbourne Press Club.
“Strong democracies depend on access to reliable information and the ability to distinguish fact from misinformation,” Melbourne Press Club CEO Patrick Donovan, said.
“The Melbourne Press Club is proud to support the Centre’s expanded focus on information integrity, recognising the complexities facing journalism today. This is why we have recently introduced free student memberships to offer stronger pathways between academia and the media industry.
“We look forward to supporting Andrea, her students and team as they work to strengthen a more informed Victorian community.”
The announcement follows Professor Carson’s recent award of an Australian Research Council Future Fellowship, worth $1.3 million to investigate election misinformation and trust.
The research will examine the nature and impact of misinformation in election environments, providing new insights into how false and misleading information can spread, how it shapes public understanding and what can be done to strengthen the integrity of democratic information.
Since commencing as the Centre Director in July, Professor Carson has worked to evolve the research agenda to reflect the changing landscape in which journalism operates – where news and public information are increasingly created, distributed and consumed across a complex mix of professional media, social media, digital platforms and other channels.
The Centre for Advancing Journalism and Information Integrity will continue its research, teaching and engagement focused on journalism and its contribution to Australian public life, while expanding its work on misinformation, disinformation, political communication and digital platforms.
