Roy Howard Community Journalism Center to Host Free Media Literacy Training at Southern Miss Hattiesburg Campus

Fri, 02/07/2025 - 10:49am | By: Dr. David Tisdale

The Roy Howard Community Journalism Center, housed at The University of Southern Mississippi and funded by the Scripps Howard Foundation, will host a free media literacy training session from 9-11 a.m. on Friday, Feb. 28 in Cook Library on the Hattiesburg campus. Seating is limited and interested participants are asked to RSVP by Friday, Feb. 21 to Joshua Wilson, the center’s community liaison, by email%20or by calling 601.266.4265.

The “Ask Me What Is True” seminar is designed for those who want to boost their media literacy skills through instruction and activities focused on critically evaluating news and other information from a variety of sources, including social media or conversations with others. Completion of training comes with a certification qualifying participants to train others in their communities. Groups interested in hosting media literacy training can contact Wilson, who can adapt the sessions based on a group’s specific needs.

The center further supports the advancement of media literacy through its “What is True” service, giving the public a resource to verify the validity of information they encounter by calling 601.266.TRUE (8763), emailing or by visiting the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center website. Researchers at the center will investigate the information and respond to inquiries within two business days. Along with its media literacy functions, the center also releases original reporting about issues affecting communities and people in southeast Mississippi. News packages are released weekly here and can be republished by local media outlets at no cost through a Creative Commons license.

Visit the Roy Howard Community Journalism Center’s website to learn more.