Organisation now focused on launching an online TV channel for the Drogheda area
EurAV, a community media organisation based on Fair Street, has claimed one of just five prestigious national awards for its ground-breaking work in empowering older people to navigate the internet safely and combat disinformation.
Representatives from EurAV attended the Virgin Media TV studios today to celebrate this remarkable achievement alongside other shortlisted organisations recognised for their contributions to addressing online disinformation.
The award was for DiSeRA—a collaborative project funded by the EU Erasmus Plus programme and implemented with partners in Italy, North Macedonia, and Slovakia. The initiative aimed to support older people in rural areas by providing multimedia content and training to help them identify and avoid online misinformation.
“EurAV’s role was pivotal in ensuring the project’s resources were accessible and engaging for older audiences,” explained EurAV Project Manager Morira Cassidy. “We worked closely with local filmmaker and media professional Fiona Ashe and national journalist Bill Tyson to produce a series of podcasts tailored to the needs of older people. We also engaged directly with community groups, delivering training sessions that proved to be highly successful.”
The project’s research revealed a significant issue: that older people, while not major creators of misinformation, are more likely to share false information online without fact-checking.
“Younger people are generally more adept at spotting false information,” Moira said. “But when a trusted family member like a grandmother shares something, people are far more inclined to accept it at face value.
“In effect, older people can inadvertently become ‘information launderers.’ While fact-checking is widely discussed, the crucial step of source-checking—verifying where information originates—is often overlooked.”
EurAV, a proud member of the Drogheda and District Chamber of Commerce, is not stopping there. The organisation is now focused on launching an online TV channel for the Drogheda area, with plans to expand its role as a grassroots, accessible resource for the local community.
“As false information becomes increasingly sophisticated and convincing, the importance of community media grows,” said EurAV Executive Director Declan Cassidy. “Media made by local people, for local people, plays a vital role in building trust and fostering informed communities.”
