Knowing the News: A Media Literacy Project

Working with communities to foster informed news consumption and offer tools to fight disinformation

The spread of disinformation threatens the fabric of our democracy, and public trust in the press is declining. As we navigate through the onslaught of COVID-19 coverage and head toward a national election this fall, PEN America believes it is vital to equip the public with the knowledge and skills to become more discerning news consumers, fit to defend themselves against disinformation.

Knowing the News, a series of virtual media literacy activities, is part of PEN America’s response to the ongoing threat of disinformation—made even more urgent during our current global public health crisis. PEN America has long argued that one of the best defenses against disinformation is ensuring the public has the skills and tools to evaluate the information they encounter and consume. To advance this goal, PEN America is working with our chapters and communities across the country to offer virtual media literacy trainings and other virtual programming during the COVID-19 crisis, including partnership events with journalists, newsrooms, public libraries, and other local organizations.

Sign up for a Media Literacy Workshop

[VIRTUAL] Be Heard. Be Smart. Your Voice Matters.
Monday, October 26, 2020
1:00pm ET

[WEBINAR] Faith Forward: Using Tech for Community Empowerment
Thursday, October 29, 2020
6:00pm CT

More Upcoming Events »

Interested in holding a virtual workshop? Contact us!

PEN America U.S. Free Expression Programs Director Nora Benavidez giving a training

PEN America U.S. Free Expression Programs Director Nora Benavidez gives a presentation. Photo by Steve Eberhardt

What People Are Saying About Our Workshops

“The wealth of information and examples. The enthusiasm of the presenter. It was a very worthwhile workshop.”

“I often feel at least semi-manipulated by what’s presented as news, but without cutting myself off entirely from information that I need, how can I insulate myself from disinformation? Ms. Benavidez offered concrete steps that I’ll try to follow. She was clearly expert in the topic and still able to make the 90 minutes clear and entertaining for a beginner.”

“Increased my awareness of the pervasiveness of mis/disinformation.”

“Those concerns [were covered], updated to a new way in which we now consume not just news, but also information (as well as disinformation). . . Given the heightened emotional context around consuming COVID-19 news and ‘data,’ I will now have a better way to ‘consume’ them.”

“Concise, organized; helped pull together and flesh out some strands of my own thinking about the subject.”