HARTFORD — Connecticut Public examines the spread of misinformation and disinformation in Fake: Searching for Truth in the Age of Misinformation, a new, original documentary and digital series.

The series will premiere Thursday, February 13, at 8 pm on CPTV. It will also be available for streaming online at cptv.org/fake. Until then, a trailer for the documentary can be viewed at that address.

An accompanying limited digital series will also be available at the same address. The six video shorts in the series will focus on different aspects of the misinformation crisis.

At a time when the 24-hour news cycle reaches far beyond print and an endless trove of information is accessible with the click of a mouse, how can the average person learn to separate fact from fiction? And what does it mean for this country’s democracy if many people cannot grasp this important skill?

Fake explores how and why this type of information spreads and how media literacy creates smarter citizens in an increasingly digital world. The documentary will teach viewers how to discern fact from fiction in news reports, identify fake news, and evaluate the biases of real news using common sense, critical thinking skills, and an understanding of universal standards of journalism.

The first three digital shorts cover foreign and domestic attempts to influence United States election results (“Smoke and Mirrors”), the need for professional reporters to report correct information (“Fact-Checking”), and media literacy and the importance of children’s safety in media territories such as the digital realm (“A Powerful Tool”).

Episodes four through six continue with some of the world’s most pressing disputes, the increasing number of arguments about topics such as gun control and immigration, and finding answers that are not only correct but will also be listened to (“The Enemy Within”); the role of consumers and advertisers in a world where tech giants like Facebook and Google support and benefit from a fake news economy while legitimate news organizations suffer (“Fake News, Real Money”); and the growing challenge of handling misinformation as its volume increases (“Human vs Machine”).

Tim Rasmussen, chief content officer of Connecticut Public, says too many people no longer solely interact with traditional media to get their news, which makes getting facts even more complicated.

“In a Presidential election year, it is more important than ever for communities to trust their news sources,” he added. “Our goal is to educate the public about how they can protect themselves against disinformation and propaganda through informed, healthy critique of the media they consume.

“Knowing how to analyze, evaluate, and participate with information, regardless of its form, can help us all become smarter, more confident consumers and citizens,” Mr Rasmussen also said.

Thinkalong For Educators

Teachers are on the front lines of media literacy training.

Connecticut Public has developed a free, safe, web-based learning resource to help teach students to separate fact from fiction in the media they consume. Thinkalong uses trusted PBS, NPR, and local public media content.

Easy to incorporate into the curriculum for teachers, parents, and youth leaders, the critical thinking program helps students develop informed opinions and practice resourceful, civil discourse in the context of learning about current events and news that is especially relevant to the lives of young people. Students can delve into topics that directly affect their lives and communities.

Already available are 28 programs that challenge whether high schools should prioritize college or workforce preparedness, whether gerrymandering is unconstitutional, whether voting should be mandatory, whether school weeks should be four days instead of five, and whether performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in professional sports, among others.

In addition to exploring all sides of an issue and expanding students’ capacity to think critically and develop informed opinions, Thinkalong helps students test their opinion in structured debates with their peers — within a single classroom or in online “connected classrooms” that match classes across the state.

Contact Rose Pierre-Louis at rpierre-louis@ctpublic.org or visit thinkalong.org for additional information.