How Western Balkans public media empowered youth to tell fake from fact

Addressing the Problem: Why It Mattered

Young people today consume most of their news and entertainment through social media. Traditional broadcasters have struggled to keep up, leading to a disconnect between PSM and their next-generation audiences. Meanwhile, social platforms—while powerful—are rife with misinformation, conspiracy theories, and manipulative narratives.

The FAKE FROM FACT project sought to tackle this dual challenge by:

• Enhancing media literacy among young people by creating engaging, fact-based content.
• Bringing youth-driven storytelling into PSM environments to rejuvenate their digital offerings.

By giving young creators the tools to verify information and tell stories compellingly, we were also helping foster a generation of responsible media consumers.

How It Worked in Practice

The project spanned twelve months, with 18 young video creators (aged 18–25) selected from across the region. These talented individuals got a chance for a six-month paid work placement and collaboration with the public service media organisation in their respective countries. Their mission? To create 72 short video stories by the end of 2024, addressing various issues related to media literacy, but also other topics relevant for young audience.

The stories were set to be published across the social media platforms of six public service media organisations from the Western Balkans: BHRT (Bosnia and Herzegovina), RTSH (Albania), RTCG (Montenegro), RTS (Serbia), RTK (Kosovo), and MRT (North Macedonia).

Key components of the project included:

• An opening workshop led by media experts, covering fact-checking, digital storytelling, and content verification.
• Mobile phone filming sets provided to all six teams of young media creators.
• Hands-on mentorship with the ERNO Office’s Chief Producer and PSM teams, enabling young creators to collaborate with experienced editors and producers.
• Peer-to-peer learning with opportunities for cross-border exchange of ideas and techniques.
• A unified branding approach for videos, with each story starting with “Did you know that…?” and closing with “We’ve checked it for you!”

Overcoming Challenges

As with any ambitious project, we encountered our share of challenges. Some public broadcasters were initially skeptical about collaborating with young creators. They wondered how these digitally fluent but relatively inexperienced content producers would fit into traditional editorial structures. Yet, as soon as the first batch of videos hit social media and started outperforming expectations—garnering record-breaking engagement—skepticism quickly gave way to enthusiasm. Seeing their platforms gain traction among younger audiences, editorial teams began embracing this fresh energy and new approaches.

Another challenge lay in bridging the generational divide. The young creators were well-versed in digital storytelling and knew how to grab attention on social media, but they needed to learn the fundamental journalistic principles that uphold public service media credibility. On the other hand, seasoned journalists at PSMs had to step outside their comfort zones and adapt to the fast-paced, informal storytelling styles that resonate with Gen Z. This process required patience and mutual learning, but in the end, both sides found common ground—each benefiting from the other’s expertise.

When given the right tools, young people don’t just consume media; they transform it. They create content that is vibrant, responsible, and capable of reaching audiences in ways that traditional journalism often struggles to achieve. Public service media, if willing to adapt and embrace these new voices, can ensure their relevance for generations to come.

Coordination across multiple countries also posed logistical challenges. With participants spread across different countries, ensuring consistency in storytelling standards and content exchange was not an easy task. An additional issue was working, producing and exchanging content made in different regional languages, which was solved by translating all the materials and scripts to English. Regular online meetings, structured communication channels, and a shared editorial framework allowed us to maintain coherence while still celebrating each country’s unique storytelling traditions. This regional collaboration, which is the core of ERNO network’s operations, became one of the project’s biggest strengths, reinforcing the idea that media literacy and responsible content creation are challenges best tackled together.

Lessons Learned

This project reaffirmed that young people are not just passive media consumers—they are eager to create, share, and shape narratives. However, to fully realise their potential, they need both guidance and institutional support. It also demonstrated that social media is not a threat but an opportunity for public broadcasters. By combining the credibility of traditional media with the reach and interactivity of digital platforms, broadcasters can build stronger connections with younger audiences. Most importantly, the project highlighted that fact-checking must be engaging to be effective. Overly academic or lecture-style methods of media literacy—the kind that rely on dense texts, rigid rules, or one-way instruction—often fail to resonate with younger audiences. Such dry, didactic approaches can feel disconnected from the fast-paced, visually driven way young people consume content today. In contrast, dynamic, relatable storytelling, especially when paired with interactive elements like multimedia, humour, and real-world examples, is far more effective in capturing attention and fostering critical thinking.

The Impact: Results That Matter

The response to FAKE FROM FACT has been overwhelming. The first batch of six videos, released in June 2024, achieved 166,000 views, 4,400 likes, and 100 comments within the first week alone. By the project’s conclusion, the 72 video stories had reached millions across the Western Balkans.

Beyond the numbers, this initiative created lasting value by strengthening collaboration between PSM and young creators, raising awareness of media literacy issues among young audiences, and fostering regional exchange and cooperation through shared content.

What’s Next?

While the project has officially concluded, the journey doesn’t end here. We see enormous potential in scaling up this model:

• Expanding the program – More young creators, more PSM partners, and more cross-border content exchange.
• Integrating into regular PSM workflows – Encouraging PSMs to sustain collaborations with the young creators beyond the project’s timeline.
• Creating follow-up initiatives – Future projects could delve deeper into AI-powered fact-checking, interactive media literacy campaigns, and regional storytelling competitions.

Final Thoughts

As a media professional, I have always believed in the power of storytelling to shape perceptions, challenge narratives, and empower communities. This project reaffirmed that belief.

When given the right tools, young people don’t just consume media; they transform it. They create content that is vibrant, responsible, and capable of reaching audiences in ways that traditional journalism often struggles to achieve. Public service media, if willing to adapt and embrace these new voices, can ensure their relevance for generations to come.

FAKE FROM FACT was not just a project—it was a proof of concept that young creators can drive meaningful change in the media landscape. Now, it’s up to all of us in the industry to build on this momentum and ensure that the truth has the loudest voice in the digital world.