• Priority Area Boosting Fact-checking Activities in Europe
• Funding Round / Action Types 4th Funding Round – Urgent Actions
• Year 2023, 2024
• Country Italy
• Project Status Ongoing

HOTLINE is an Italian weekly newsletter dedicated to climate change and related mis- and disinformation. Professionals with complementary expertise in tackling climate change misinformation have joined forces to tailor their common efforts to actor, behavioural, and content trends that are unique to climate change.

The project team combines extensive experience in fact-checking, specialisation in climate-related reporting, and expertise in effective engagement and dissemination techniques. It is composed of two partners sharing the same commitment to quality journalism and contrast of mis- and disinformation (Facta https://facta.news) and Slow News (https://www.slow-news.com), and two science journalists/authors with outstanding work in the area of climate change disinformation (Fabio Deotto and Stella Levantesi).

The newsletter will be a standalone editorial product. 20 issues, in Italian, will be produced during the project’s lifetime, sent to its subscribers once a week for five months. The product is tailored for a young Italian audience with an interest in climate change and/or disinformation but no specific scientific background. The target audience will be provided with a reference media product tackling climate change from a rigorous perspective and adequately addressing the issue of mis- and disinformation in the field. Readers will be offered the possibility to contribute to shaping the product contents according to their needs and interests, based on a community-centered approach.

The strengths of this project rely on Facta’s experience with fact-checking and connection with all major fact-checking networks; Slow News’ specialisation and experience in lead generation, newsletter design, community management and dissemination; the two authors’ expertise in the area of climate change disinformation and their visibility and large online
following.