Undersecretary of Information: War Has Imposed a New Reality Requiring Strengthening Professional Journalism and Combating Misinformation
The Undersecretary of Information has declared that the ongoing war has imposed a new reality on media and society, one that demands urgent investment in professional journalism and a coordinated effort to counter the growing tide of misinformation. Speaking at a special forum organized for media professionals, journalists, academics, and civil society representatives, the official said that conflict is no longer measured by territory and weapons alone; it is also a battle of narratives, a war of images, headlines, and hashtags. In the current environment, the Undersecretary argued, falsehood can travel faster than the truth, and the public is left to navigate a storm of confusion in which official statements, independent reports, propaganda, and social media rumors are mixed together. The Undersecretary stressed that journalism must be treated not merely as a profession but as a public service, essential for social unity, informed decision-making, and the preservation of democratic values. The event brought together representatives from press unions, media faculties, human rights groups, and international organizations, all of whom discussed the urgent need to develop new models of war reporting. The Undersecretary acknowledged that the traditional media sector has been severely weakened by years of conflict, with many experienced journalists killed, displaced, or forced out of work. However, the official insisted that this weakness is not permanent and can be overcome through deliberate reforms, professional training, institutional support, and responsible partnerships. The new reality created by the war, the Undersecretary added, requires a new contract between the media and the public, a contract built on honesty, accountability, and a shared commitment to separating facts from lies.
The war, the Undersecretary explained, has transformed the media landscape in ways that were unimaginable before the outbreak of hostilities. Offices have been destroyed, broadcast equipment has been looted, and many reporters have risked their lives simply to bring basic information to the public. At the same time, the conflict has accelerated the shift to digital platforms, where anyone with a smartphone can publish images, claims, and commentary without any editorial oversight. The result, according to the Undersecretary, is an information chaos that mirrors the physical chaos on the battlefield. In the official’s view, every media outlet must now become a verification machine, a place where rumors are checked, sources are confirmed, and images are authenticated before they reach the public. The Undersecretary called for journalists to be trained in open-source intelligence, digital security, trauma reporting, and the ethical coverage of violence. The address also stressed the need for clear editorial protocols so that breaking news does not lead to the dissemination of unconfirmed reports about casualties, front-line advances, or political negotiations. A single false report, the Undersecretary said, can trigger armed responses, create panic, displace entire communities, or derail fragile peace efforts. The role of the state, the official insisted, is not to censor the press but to enable it. A professional journalist is not an enemy of the nation; rather, the professional journalist is a defender of truth. The Undersecretary emphasized that the war has created a dangerous information vacuum, one that extremist groups, foreign actors, and opportunistic politicians are eager to fill with lies. Replacing that vacuum with credible, well-sourced journalism is therefore both a patriotic duty and a humanitarian necessity.
A central part of the Undersecretary’s address focused on misinformation, which the official described as a shadow weapon. Unlike bullets, misinformation makes no noise, but it destroys lives, reputations, and entire communities. The Undersecretary noted that false narratives have been used to justify attacks, deepen sectarian divisions, discredit peace initiatives, and manipulate public opinion. Social media algorithms, the official argued, reward rage and novelty, giving false content a reach that responsible journalism rarely enjoys. In this new reality, media literacy becomes as vital as traditional literacy. The Undersecretary announced that the Ministry of Information is working with educational institutions to introduce media and information literacy programs in schools and universities, so that citizens can identify manipulated images, verify sources, and recognize the difference between fact, opinion, and propaganda. The official also called on media regulators to establish clear guidelines for online content, without restricting freedom of expression. Fact-checking, the Undersecretary said, must become a shared national discipline, not only the task of specialized journalists. Every mobile phone user should have the tools to question a suspicious claim before sharing it. The official also challenged state institutions to become more transparent and more efficient in releasing accurate information to the public. The best way to fight misinformation is to provide reliable information before rumors have a chance to spread. The Undersecretary admitted that official media in the past had often been slow, unresponsive, and insufficiently trusted, and the war now creates an opportunity to rebuild that trust through openness, speed, and sincerity. Acknowledging past failures, the official argued, is the first step toward a more honest and credible media system.
The Undersecretary also devoted considerable attention to the safety and well-being of journalists themselves. The official warned that no strategy to strengthen journalism can succeed if reporters are silenced by violence, threats, detention, or smear campaigns. Parties to the conflict were urged to respect international humanitarian law and to treat journalists as civilians, not as legitimate targets. The Underseptary condemned all forms of intimidation against media workers and pledged that the state would investigate crimes committed against journalists and bring those responsible to justice. At the same time, the official called on journalists to uphold the highest ethical standards in return. Professionalism, the Undersecretary argued, is also a form of protection. A reporter who is accurate, fair, and careful becomes harder to attack. The official proposed the creation of an independent national council of media ethics, composed of experienced journalists, editors, legal experts, and civil society members, which would provide guidance and defend professional integrity without becoming a tool of political control. Another important issue raised during the forum was the psychological toll of covering conflict. The Undersecretary acknowledged that many media workers suffer from trauma, burnout, and anxiety, and announced that the ministry is planning to provide counseling services and mental health support to journalists. A broken observer cannot describe the world faithfully. The Undersecretary praised the courage of journalists who continue to work in the most dangerous areas, including those who have themselves been displaced or have lost family members. Such sacrifices, the official said, demonstrate that journalism is not merely a career but a form of service to the public and a defense of truth against the forces of chaos.
Turning to the role of the state in rebuilding the media sector, the Undersecretary called for comprehensive legal and institutional reform. The official stressed that the current media laws are outdated, written in a pre-digital age when information was scarce and censorship was easy. The war has imposed a new reality in which information is abundant, instantaneous, and global, and the law must adapt to preserve both freedom and accountability. The Undersecretary called on parliament to adopt a modern media law that guarantees access to public information, protects journalistic sources, and clarifies the rights and responsibilities of digital platforms. In addition to legal reform, the official emphasized the need for massive investment in human capital. A national media academy should be established to train young people in investigative journalism, data journalism, visual verification, and conflict-sensitive reporting. Working journalists should also have access to continuous training throughout their careers. The Undersecretary invited international organizations, foreign universities, and press freedom groups to support these efforts, but insisted that the overall direction must be locally owned. The goal is not imported journalism but indigenous journalism, shaped by local values, experiences, and aspirations. The official also proposed the creation of an emergency fund to help media outlets that have lost advertising revenue because of the war, with transparent and fair criteria. Such funds, the Undersecretary explained, should not make outlets dependent on the state; rather, they should help them survive a difficult period so that they can eventually become independent and sustainable. The Ministry of Information itself, the official said, must be transformed from a controlling bureaucracy into a support agency. Licensing procedures should be simplified, bureaucratic obstacles removed, and journalists treated as partners rather than as subjects. If we want to win the peace, we must first win the battle of truth, the Undersecretary concluded.
In the final part of the address, the Undersecretary appealed to all media workers, social media users, and public officials to join a national campaign for responsible communication. The war has imposed a new reality, the official said, but that new reality can be shaped by human choices. It is possible to reject partisanship, to refuse to become tools of propaganda, and to insist that reporting remain anchored in evidence. The Undersecretary called on political leaders to stop pressuring media outlets to take sides and to accept that editorial independence is the foundation of public trust. Social media companies were also urged to increase transparency around political content, to remove coordinated disinformation, and to cooperate with independent fact-checkers. The international community, the official said, must recognize that credible journalism is essential for humanitarian relief, cease-fire negotiations, reconciliation, and postwar reconstruction. The Undersecretary closed with a powerful commitment: the war will not be allowed to determine what people know, believe, or remember; through professional journalism, society will define its own truth. After the speech, participants drafted a set of recommendations to be submitted to the government, including the creation of a journalist safety fund, the adoption of a code of ethics, the establishment of a fact-checking platform, and the formation of an independent observatory to monitor attacks against media workers. The Undersecretary promised to bring these recommendations to the highest levels of government and to begin implementation in the coming months. Observers attending the event described the address as one of the most detailed official statements on media policy since the conflict began. They noted that the real test lies in whether these promises are translated into action. But the underlying message was unmistakable: even in the darkest moments of war, the demand for truth becomes stronger, not weaker. Misinformation may be powerful, but it cannot be allowed to have the last word. In the war-torn country, the fight for reliable information has become an inseparable part of the fight for peace, justice, and a better future.