Thomas Sparrow, international correspondent at Deutsche Welle and France 24, has joined the growing list of MediaWise Ambassadors who leverage their expertise to promote digital media literacy.

“I firmly believe that media literacy needs to be a permanent part of the school curriculum around the world,” Sparrow said. “I tell my students that they need to learn how to get reliable information, how to prevent falling into the traps of disinformation if they want to be active and responsible members of society.”

Thomas Sparrow moderating at the DW Global Media Forum, 2023 (Photo: DW)

Misinformation impacts everyone, regardless of language. Outside the newsroom, Sparrow lectures at college campuses, showing students how good journalism and media literacy strengthens democracy. As a MediaWise Ambassador, Sparrow will continue to teach people how to sort fact from fiction online and demonstrate how good journalism makes democracy stronger.

His goal is to give students a behind-the-scenes look at journalism.

In an email exchange with MediaWise, Sparrow shared his thoughts about journalism, democracy and the importance of media literacy education.

When and why did you begin having an interest in media literacy?

I quickly understood that if I want to contribute to strengthening democracy, I have to not only focus on reporting responsibly for the audiences that follow my journalistic products in several countries around the world. I also have to engage directly with younger generations to help them be aware of the problems caused by disinformation and to teach them how to be better informed.

I love visiting schools. When I begin my visits, the rest of the world — the world outside — stops. What matters in that moment is only my exchange with the school community. And when I leave, I feel reinvigorated, I feel even more passionate about what I do and why I do it.

In your experience and lectures, what are some common misconceptions people have about media, journalism and media literacy?

More than a misconception, what I see is a lack of knowledge about how journalism works. Many people are quick to criticize what they see as biased reporting, but if you delve deeper, my experience has shown me that only very few know what goes into producing a television piece, or interviewing a leading politician, or covering challenging events, or writing a long-form piece for a magazine.

And this is why media literacy is so important. It’s not only about helping students learn how to debunk a fake news story or spot disinformation created by artificial intelligence. It’s also about talking to them about journalistic standards and processes.

Misinformation is universal and people do not consume information and news like they used to. What is something you wish people knew about the work journalists do and of journalism as an industry?

I would like people to understand more about the work journalists do, the effort needed, before jumping to conclusions and criticizing. That’s why in all my workshops, I dedicate part of the time to talk about journalism: what is journalism, what makes a good journalist, what is needed to become a journalist. In some cases, I have even taken my students out of the classroom and into the newsroom. They can then see firsthand how journalists work.

How did you learn about MediaWise and what about our work made you want to become part of our MediaWise Ambassador program?

Before joining Deutsche Welle in Germany, I worked for the BBC in the United States. I was a producer in the BBC’s Florida bureau and a correspondent in the BBC’s Washington bureau. I have known Poynter for a long time now, but I became much more interested in Poynter’s projects when I started going to schools. And a couple of years ago I also learned about the MediaWise Ambassador project. I believe that by becoming an ambassador I can help to raise awareness about the challenges of disinformation alongside a group of remarkable colleagues. I am very much looking forward to working with MediaWise and Poynter!

Finally, in your career as a journalist and lecturer, what has been your proudest and most fulfilling moment?

I rather like to think about my career as a process: I have strived, one day at a time, to inform my audiences responsibly and transparently. And I have strived, one school visit at a time, to leave a mark on children who will one day be news consumers, voters and members of society. Again, I will be proud and happy if one day, in retirement, I can say I left that mark.

About Thomas Sparrow

Thomas Sparrow comes from a family of translators in Colombia and grew up speaking Spanish, English and German. Because of his background, Sparrow developed a deep passion for language, travel and sharing stories. After earning his journalism degree in Bogotá, Sparrow became a freelance correspondent and travel writer, documenting his experiences in Germany, Poland, the United Kingdom, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Romania, The Netherlands, Belgium, Ukraine, Egypt and Azerbaijan. Sparrow served as a European Commission scholar in Leipzig, Germany, and earned a master’s degree in global studies and international relations in Wroclaw, Poland. With this experience, Sparrow brings an international perspective to media literacy education. Sparrow has contributed to Medios para la Paz, Revista Semana, El País and BBC News.

About MediaWise

MediaWise is a social-first digital media literacy initiative of the nonprofit Poynter Institute. The program teaches people of all ages and backgrounds how to responsibly engage with online content in the age of information overload. The fact-checking enterprise was created in 2018 to empower citizens to find trusted sources and make sense of the vast amount of information at their fingertips. We bring simple, yet effective, digital media literacy tools to people where they are — whether they’re on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Twitter or TikTok or in one of the six countries where MediaWise operates — and walk them through every step to determine what’s real and what’s not on the internet. Through MediaWise, everyone can do their part to reduce the spread of misinformation and elevate the truth. Follow MediaWise on social media to learn how to debunk viral claims and be more critical consumers of online information. Explore programs and be part of the solution at poynter.org/mediawise.

Correction: Sparrow is a political and security correspondent for Deutsche Welle, and Germany correspondent for France 24 in Spanish.