Lessons From the Digital Desk Training Program of ISOC-IL and the Union of Journalists in Israel
Journalism today faces a capacity crisis shaped by technological change, economic pressures, political polarization, and declining public trust. At the same time, the rise of digital platforms, algorithm-driven content distribution, and the development of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies have intensified the circulation of misleading and false content, while placing new demands on journalists in information verification, digital investigation, data analysis, and the use of advanced technological tools in their professional work. Against this backdrop, this study addresses the growing need to strengthen journalistic capacity. It offers an applied model for journalistic capacity building through professional journalist training conducted in cooperation with civil society organizations, adaptable to various information environments facing similar challenges in the age of information disorder.
The study focuses on Israel as a case study, as a challenging information environment characterized by a combination of structural, social, political, and demographic vulnerabilities. These include high levels of social media use, linguistic and cultural diversity, unequal access to reliable and verified information across different communities, limited fact-checking capacity, and disinformation challenges that intensify during periods of crisis and conflict. Against this backdrop, the publication presents the “Digital Desk” training program of the Israel Internet Association (ISOC-IL), developed in partnership with the Union of Journalists in Israel, and implemented between 2024 and 2026 as part of the EU-supported Disinformation Resilience Israel (DRI) project.
The “Digital Desk” program included two training formats: an introductory Newsroom Training workshop, designed to provide journalists with initial familiarity with the principles and tools of digital investigation, and an Advanced Flagship Training Course, which took place over several sessions and offered more in-depth training. Through a combination of theoretical instruction and practical exercises, the program sought to equip journalists with practical skills in digital investigation, information verification, open-source research, advanced search, geographic location verification, website and domain investigation, social media investigation, and the use of AI tools. As part of the program, an online toolbox for journalists was also launched in Hebrew and Arabic, offering a set of digital tools and resources.
Alongside presenting the training model, the study includes an empirical evaluation of the program’s impact, based on pre- and post-training evaluation surveys. The findings indicate clear improvement in participants’ self-reported digital investigation and information verification skills, as well as increased confidence in using these tools in journalistic work.
At the same time, the study emphasizes that strengthening journalistic capacity cannot rely on ad hoc training. Rather, it requires sustained investment, cross-sector collaboration, and the development of shared knowledge resources and professional tools, especially in rapidly evolving areas such as the use of AI tools and work with databases. In this context, civil society organizations can play a central role in bridging structural gaps in the media ecosystem by combining professional expertise, local knowledge, access to international networks, and support for developing journalistic skills.
The study is organized into four main chapters. The first chapter presents the broader background to the capacity crisis in journalism and the possible role of civil society organizations. The second chapter reviews the skills journalists need in the digital age and the gap between new professional demands and the training and resources currently available to them. The third chapter presents the structure of the “Digital Desk” program, its components, its implementation, and the evaluation findings. The concluding chapter discusses the significance of the findings and presents the program as a capacity-building model for journalist training that combines journalism and civil society and can be adapted to other information environments.
The study is available to read in Hebrew here