The fictionalisation of politics and the influence of pop culture in creating narratives – topics debated by journalists and media experts
- Superscrieri brought together journalists and specialists from the Pulitzer Centre, The Kyiv Independent, Ziarul de Gardă, and Macromedia University Berlin in an event dedicated to Romanian journalists—the specialists came from Malaysia, Ukraine, Moldova, and Germany;
- How cultural contexts influence the emergence of disinformation, how different narratives are constructed and perpetuated in the press and in society, and how new technologies contribute to both the spread and the fight against disinformation – topics analyzed;
- Creating fact-checking alliances, adopting new technologies, and using humor and satire were among the solutions proposed by journalists and experts.
- The Takeover Disinfo event is part of the Superscrieri Workshops series, organized by the Friends For Friends Foundation and supported by ING Bank, a program of workshops dedicated to the professional development and specialization of journalists.
Bucharest, November 14th, 2025: Journalists and media experts from the Pulitzer Center, The Kyiv Independent, Ziarul de Gardă, and Macromedia University Berlin shared examples of best practices regarding fact-checking alliances and methods of prebunking (warning people about attempts to manipulate them) and debunking (deconstructing false information) during the event Takeover Disinfo. It was organised by the Friends For Friends Foundation, founder of the Superscrieri Awards Gala, which annually recognizes the best journalism in Romania.
Journalist Martin Fornusek from The Kyiv Independent, data editor Kuek Ser Kuang Keng from the Pulitzer Center, investigative journalist Alina Radu from Ziarul de Gardă, and professor Gernot Wolfram from Macromedia University Berlin discussed with moderators Codruța Simina and Dragoș Stanca the ways in which they reach their audience, what works in gaining readers’ trust, and the mechanisms through which disinformation gains ground. The panel discussion can be viewed in its entirety at this link.
”It was a day full of valuable discussions, during which Romanian journalists had the opportunity to learn about the different faces of disinformation in other countries, what they have in common and what is different in the narratives used to manipulate the masses, but also what solutions already exist in Europe and Asia. The Friends For Friends Foundation continues its mission to contribute to quality journalism and to help combat disinformation, a phenomenon that we came to experience firsthand long before we had studied it sufficiently”, says Alexandra Cantor, Executive Director of Fundația Friends For Friends Foundation.
About the regulation of social networks
During the panel discussion on how cultural context contributes to the construction of disinformation narratives, investigative journalist Alina Radu, manager at Ziarul de Gardă in the Republic of Moldova, said that she had suffered from censorship in the past. Early in her career, she was not paid by the television station where she worked because she repeatedly used the word „Basarabia,” which she was not allowed to do. Today, however, she leads a team of young journalists, for whose safety she feels responsible, and believes that social media should be more thoroughly regulated.
”I receive many such messages (e.n. violent, death threats) because someone gives [people] freedom on the internet and social media to tell me every day how I will be killed. And the police can’t do anything because these messages come from abroad. But when my reporters are attacked, and they are very young, and these public attacks come instantly from paid trolls, these attacks also reach the offline world. And my reporters have been beaten while filming protests. So we have to do something about this. Yes, I hate regulating information, but Russia has brought me to the point where I say we have to do something”, explains Alina Radu, investigative journalist and manager of Ziarul de Gardă newspaper.
Journalist Kuek Ser Kuang Keng, data editor at the Pulitzer Center and founder of Data-N, based in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, spoke about the importance of alliances between fact-checking organizations such as JomCheck (Malaysia), CekFakta (Indonesia), and Tsek.ph (Philippines). These consist of publications, universities, content creators, and technology experts, are most active during election periods, and are funded by local universities or foreign organizations.
”When we receive false information, we only need one of our members to verify the facts. After verifying the facts, they share them with everyone. If members want to verify for themselves, they are free to do so. We realized that we were all doing the same thing. We are all verifying the same politician’s statements. So why not do it together, and use our content and resources together? In addition, we organize training courses in the field of information verification and set standards. Anyone who wants to become a member and learn how to verify information correctly, we teach them”, explains Kuek Ser Kuang Keng.
According to him, the benefits of alliances are numerous: information is effectively verified, visibility and public trust increase, content is amplified, interest among potential investors in this activity grows, access to cutting-edge technology intensifies, communities are built, and capacities are strengthened on a large scale.
Evolving Narratives and Cultural Tools in Russian Propaganda
Martin Fornusek of The Kyiv Independent explained the complex mechanisms of Russian propaganda during the war in Ukraine and how it constantly and purposefully adapts its narratives to influence people who do not have strongly formed opinions.
„Russian propaganda has adapted, and the vulnerabilities it exploits are people’s anxieties, fears, and resentments about the war. The goal is to attack social cohesion, to destroy the elements that hold Ukrainian society together. Russian propaganda has begun to exploit regional differences. They target people living in frontline regions and tell them: «Look, you are the ones being bombed, targeted by drones, while people in the west are sitting comfortably, having fun, partying, and getting rich from foreign aid.» At the same time, they target Ukrainians in the western regions and tell them: «Why should your sons be dragged into fighting the war of the people in the east?»”, says Martin Fornusek.
Professor Gernot Wolfram, a specialist in media and cultural management at Macromedia University Berlin, emphasized the importance of understanding how emotions and popular culture can be used in communication and influence processes. He pointed out that modern propaganda, including Russian propaganda, is not based solely on rational arguments, but exploits areas such as music, film, and entertainment – areas in which people become more receptive due to emotional involvement. In this context, Wolfram encouraged the adoption of realistic optimism, as well as the use of humor and satire as effective tools to combat disinformation and cultivate balanced critical thinking in society.
”You know how it is – you come home at night, scroll through Instagram or TikTok for a bit, or watch a series on Netflix. You want to relax and stop thinking about all the strange things happening in the world, the crises and problems. And just when you’re trying to relax and forget about everything, propaganda is waiting for you. For example, we see Russian films broadcast on streaming platforms, very well-made historical films, with traditional Russian villages covered in snow, wooden houses, families with children, who then fight, and Russian heroes always win. Or Shaman, one of Russia’s most famous pop singers, who supports Vladimir Putin and is quite present in the Western media, especially in right-wing circles. He uses elements of pop culture, from Rammstein, with this Western aspect, but then comes the message – this is my Russian blood and I will fight to the end. In these moments when we are experiencing emotions, we are much more open to believing things”, explains Gernot Wolfram, profesor de management media și cultural la Macromedia University Berlin.
Takeover Disinfo is part of the Superscrieri Workshops series, supported by ING Bank, a program of workshops dedicated to the professional development and specialization of journalists.
”We are delighted that we were able to bring together journalists from Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Malaysia, and Germany for a whole day in Bucharest to discuss how disinformation arises and how it can be combated. The exchange of ideas that arises in such a context, the professional relationships and friendships that are formed can lead to projects and, implicitly, to extraordinary long-term changes. At ING Bank, we understand what it means to invest in the things that matter, and supporting quality journalism is a priority for us. The partnership with the Friends For Friends Foundation is part of a broader effort through which we support educational initiatives, relevant products, and collaborations that have a real and measurable impact on the lives of Romanian citizens”, says Silvia Jalea, Head of Internal & External Corporate Communication, ING Bank România.
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About ING Bank Romania
ING Bank Romania is part of ING Group, a global international financial institution that provides banking services to over 38 million individual customers, companies, and institutions in more than 40 countries. Founded in 1994, ING Bank Romania is currently a universal bank offering products and services to all customer categories – large and small companies, financial institutions, small entrepreneurs, and individuals. ING Bank Romania is the only bank with organic growth in the top 10 local banks by assets, without acquisitions of customer portfolios or other banks. ING Bank Romania is a universal bank with over 1.7 million customers in three business segments: individuals (retail), SMEs & Mid-Corporate, and Wholesale Banking. ING’s mission is to support people in being one step ahead in life and business.
About Superscrieri, the Friends For Friends Foundation (FFFF.RO) program
Superscrieri is the tribute we have been paying since 2011 to authors who, through the power of their writing, originality, honesty, and courage, still tell us the stories that matter. Authors who believe in the power of well-chosen words show us how things really are, free us from prejudice and stereotypes, move us, enrich us, and protect us from fake news. We gratefully dedicate the Superscrieri awards, scholarships, and seminars to them.
