01 / 20
Brussels
Belgium
Worked for Euractiv Italia, NATO SHAPE and the European Commission, and completed the Commission’s Youth4Regions programme for aspiring journalists covering EU regional policy.
JOURNALISM · RESEARCH · COMMUNICATION · FILMMAKING
Michele Calamaio
Investigative journalistMultimedia producerFact-checker / Misinformation AnalystMedia researcherDigital communication specialist
Fulbright scholar · Columbia Journalism School graduate, M.S. 2025
Who am I?
Michele Calamaio is an Italian investigative journalist and a 2025 graduate of Columbia Journalism School’s M.S. programme, where he studied investigative journalism at the Toni Stabile Center as a Fulbright fellow. His multimedia reporting covers E.U. policy, climate-driven migration, human rights violations, organised and environmental crime, public health, and science, with a particular focus on the Mediterranean. He has worked for the Associated Press, Reuters, Euractiv Italia and La Repubblica, where he was a Google News Initiative fellow. He has also produced digital communications for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (NATO SHAPE), the European Commission and UNESCO’s International Bureau of Education (UNESCO-IBE). He is a 2025 Columbia University–Pulitzer Center Post-Grad Reporting Fellow and a 2026 JournalismFund Europe environmental grantee. He currently works as a Misinformation Analyst at New York-based NewsGuard, where he debunks false claims and assesses news websites for credibility and transparency.
Newsrooms and Organisations I have Worked for
FIELD NOTES · A LIFE ACROSS BORDERS
Places I have Lived and Studied or Worked in
Belgium
Portuguese Way · 240 kmThe Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James
Porto (Portugal)Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
French Way · 780 kmThe Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James
Saint-Jean-Pied-de-Port (France)Santiago de Compostela (Spain)
Humanigration - On the other shore of the sea. The Documentary.A Stars4Media cross-border storytelling project examining migration and climate change through reporting in Malta, Italy and Greece.
Valletta (Malta)Lampedusa (Italy)Athens (Greece)
Europe
Asia
The Americas
Africa
Oceania
Voices Festival Cartoon Award
Voices Festival recognition for a co-authored graphic investigation into barriers to sexual self-determination for disabled people in Italy, combining testimony, data and policy analysis.
Paolo Osiride Ferrero Prize
Recognition through the Paolo Osiride Ferrero journalism prize, which focuses attention on disability, inclusion and barriers to participation.
Megalizzi–Niedzielski Prize · Finalist
Finalist recognition for the Megalizzi–Niedzielski prize, the European Commission initiative celebrating young journalists reporting on European affairs.
Published By: Mongabay
As traditional forest governance erodes in Peru, ‘ghost permits’ fill the vacuum
Reporting from Peru combines community interviews and forestry records to investigate how rented or sold permits launder illegally cut timber as Indigenous forest governance erodes.
Published By: The European Correspondent
The Ecstasy of Therapy
An audio-cartoon investigation compares the scientific promise of MDMA-assisted treatment for PTSD with the political and social debate in Italy and the Netherlands.
My Disability, My Choice
Co-written with Lorenzo Di Stasi and illustrated by Ariel Vittori, this graphic investigation examines disabled people’s rights to intimacy and Italy’s legal and cultural barriers to sexual assistance.
reporting and verification: Investigating false claims, manipulated images, and the networks that spread them.
Mapping the Fake History of ‘Lake America’
Fact-check of a doctored 1688 map circulated as supposed historical evidence that Lake Ontario was once called “Lake America”.
Pro-China Sources Falsely Say Israel Called for a Global Boycott of China
A NewsGuard risk briefing examines pro-China sources spreading the false claim that Israel called for an international boycott of China.
Anti-West Accounts Invent Comments by Italy’s Meloni Slamming Trump, Exaggerating a Rift in the Western Alliance
Analysis examines fabricated remarks attributed to Giorgia Meloni that portrayed her as attacking Donald Trump and exaggerated divisions within the Western alliance.
Meloni contro Trump? Account anti-occidentali le attribuiscono attacchi (mai avvenuti) contro il Presidente USA
An Italian-language special report examines anti-Western accounts attributing statements to Giorgia Meloni that she did not make about Donald Trump.
Il peso dei falsi endorsement: così le dichiarazioni false di personaggi famosi sui social network hanno influenzato il dibattito sul referendum sulla giustizia
A special report examines fabricated celebrity endorsements circulating on social media and their role in the debate over Italy’s justice referendum.
AI-Manipulated Image Shows Gun, Not Phone, Held by Killed Protester in Minneapolis
Verification examines an AI-manipulated image falsely presenting a phone held by a person killed in Minneapolis as a gun.
Anti-Israel Hoaxes Get Personal
A Reality Check analysis examines fabricated travel bans, deportations and misconduct allegations targeting Israeli citizens abroad.
‘You’re a Murderer’: Man Falsely Named as ICE Agent Describes His Experience to NewsGuard
A Reality Check portfolio entry concerns the personal consequences of falsely identifying a man as an ICE agent; the source link is retained from the supplied Linktree.
Minneapolis ICE Shooting Gets AI Treatment
Verification examines an AI-generated image purporting to show a calm interaction between an ICE agent and the woman killed in a Minneapolis shooting.
Image of Trump Using a Walker Is an AI Fake: NewsGuard’s False Claim of the Week
A False Claim of the Week analysis examines an AI-generated image falsely depicting Donald Trump using a walking frame.
Italy launched a program to give mRNA avian influenza vaccines to poultry
A False Claim Fingerprint documents the narrative that Italy launched an mRNA avian-influenza vaccination programme for poultry, preserving it as a claim under analysis.
An image shows the interaction between an ICE agent and the woman in a car whom he fatally shot in Minneapolis
A False Claim Fingerprint examines a purported image of an ICE agent’s interaction with the woman he fatally shot in Minneapolis.
A Jewish Israeli named David Cohen is an alleged shooter in the December 2025 massacre of Jews in Australia
A False Claim Fingerprint examines the false identification of an alleged perpetrator of the December 2025 attack on Jews in Australia.
A video shows a woman teaching Muslim prayers to white children in a UK school
A False Claim Fingerprint examines a video presented as a woman teaching Muslim prayers to white children in a British school.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi created a ministry for mass deportations
A False Claim Fingerprint examines the narrative that Japanese prime minister Sanae Takaichi created a ministry for mass deportations.
Italy condemned Israel's ‘genocide’ of Palestinians in September 2025 and said it will recognize Palestinian statehood
A False Claim Fingerprint examines claims about Italy’s position on Israel’s war in Gaza and recognition of Palestinian statehood in September 2025.
Euractiv Italia · EuroExpress: L’Europa in 100 secondi
Produced for Euractiv Italia, EuroExpress condenses European affairs into 100-second audio briefings, drawing on news coverage, interviews and policy analysis.
IrpiMedia · Newsroom Podcast: L’Iran e i nuovi equilibri regionali. L’erosione culturale in Amazzonia.
An IrpiMedia Newsroom episode discusses Iran’s regional context and the investigation into cultural erosion and deforestation in the Amazon.
AP · Associated Press
PuroSole: roasting coffee with sunlight
An Associated Press multimedia story follows PuroSole’s use of concentrated sunlight to roast coffee beans, illustrating an alternative production process.
Giorgio Parisi Nobel Prize
An Associated Press multimedia contribution covers Italian physicist Giorgio Parisi and the announcement of his Nobel Prize in Physics.
Collarmele Windsol
An Associated Press multimedia contribution reports on the Windsol project in Collarmele through video coverage of local renewable-energy activity.
Italy Virus Amusement Park Reopen
Associated Press video coverage documents an Italian amusement park reopening as pandemic restrictions ease.
Italy Colosseum Restoration
Associated Press video coverage documents restoration work at Rome’s Colosseum and efforts to preserve the historic monument.
Italy mourns Raffaella Carrà
Associated Press video coverage records public mourning for Italian performer and television presenter Raffaella Carrà.
Italy G20 Demonstrations
Associated Press video coverage documents demonstrations connected with the G20 in Italy.
Italy Virus Airport Vaccinations
Associated Press video coverage documents an airport vaccination initiative in Italy during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reuters
Piaggio FY core profits rise 29% on strong sales growth
A Reuters earnings report covers Piaggio’s 29% rise in full-year core profit alongside the sales growth behind the result.
Geox 2021 sales rise 14.4%, sees uncertainty over Ukraine tensions
A Reuters business report covers Geox’s 14.4% increase in 2021 sales and the uncertainty associated with tensions over Ukraine.
GS starts Generali with 'neutral' as growth worries eclipse fundamentals
A Reuters markets brief examines Goldman Sachs initiating coverage of Generali with a neutral rating as growth concerns outweigh its assessment of fundamentals.
Better-than-expected Q1 orders, core profit drive Leonardo's shares up
A Reuters markets report connects Leonardo’s share-price rise with stronger-than-expected first-quarter orders and core profit.
Leonardo flies on potential new trainer jet contracts
A Reuters markets brief examines investor reaction to potential new trainer-aircraft contracts for aerospace and defence company Leonardo.
Sales on luxury stocks drag Italy's Safilo down despite solid Q1
A Reuters markets brief covers Safilo’s share-price decline during a sell-off in luxury stocks despite a solid first-quarter performance.
Stellantis' better-than-expected Q1 pricing drives shares higher
A Reuters markets report examines the rise in Stellantis shares following stronger-than-expected first-quarter pricing.
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Further Reporting & Features
Reporting across borders, from migration and identity to environmental accountability, politics and culture.
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Radici senza memoria. Come l’erosione culturale apre la strada alla deforestazione in Amazzonia - IrpiMedia
An investigation into how the erosion of Indigenous cultural knowledge weakens forest protection and opens the way to deforestation in the Peruvian Amazon.
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Special Projects
Editorial ventures, investigations in development and research fellowships.
Project / Host: Muzir · Asli Alpar
Building stories that matter, and a company that can last
An exchange with Muzir’s Asli Alpar develops a sustainable multimedia storytelling model and a reporting project on Alevi food systems, ancestral seeds and women-led ecology in Dersim, Türkiye.
Read the project on LinkedIn ↗
Project / Host: WeSpeakBXL
WeSpeakBXL: A Multilingual Newsroom For Brussels
Created WeSpeakBXL through the LIMENet Initiative: a multilingual, youth-led digital newsroom connecting Brussels reporting with wider international perspectives.
Project / Host: Investigation In Development
Tracing Food Safety Risks In Europe’s Sprout Supply Chain
An investigation in development examines how gaps in EU regulation, climate pressures on seed production and weaknesses in producers’ self-checks may allow contaminated sprouts to reach consumers across Europe.
Project / Host: Institute of Marine Research · Norway
Offshore Wind, Underwater Noise And Marine Life
A three-month research fellowship at Norway’s Institute of Marine Research examines offshore wind development and underwater noise, with attention to marine ecosystems, regulation and the fishing economy.
Google News Initiative Fellowship
A two-month fellowship on La Repubblica’s foreign desk, reporting on international politics and current affairs.
Open selected articles ↓
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Un colpo di Stato in Cina? La notizia falsa che ha fatto "arrestare" Xi Jinping↗02
Slovenia, approvata la legge per legalizzare il matrimonio e le adozioni gay↗03
Nardella guida la delegazione Eurocities all'incontro con la Commissione Ue: "Ricostruiamo l'Ucraina e affrontiamo la crisi energetica"↗04
Slovacchia, un estremista di destra suicida dopo aver ucciso due ragazzi gay davanti a un locale↗05
Brasile, sfida tra Lula e Bolsonaro: dall'ambiente alle privatizzazioni, quali sono le differenze tra i due candidati↗
About the Fellowship ↗Un colpo di Stato in Cina? La notizia falsa che ha fatto "arrestare" Xi Jinping↗02Slovenia, approvata la legge per legalizzare il matrimonio e le adozioni gay↗03Nardella guida la delegazione Eurocities all'incontro con la Commissione Ue: "Ricostruiamo l'Ucraina e affrontiamo la crisi energetica"↗04Slovacchia, un estremista di destra suicida dopo aver ucciso due ragazzi gay davanti a un locale↗05Brasile, sfida tra Lula e Bolsonaro: dall'ambiente alle privatizzazioni, quali sono le differenze tra i due candidati↗09Back to top ↑
Photographs from the Field
Photographs from reporting in the Peruvian Amazon, Poland and Italy.
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Shanay Timpishka, the Boiling River, near the Huishtin Sanctuary.
© Michele Calamaio · Read The Reporting ↗10Back to top ↑
Corporate Comms Projects
Institutional and corporate communications, presented separately from journalism.
UNESCO-IBE - #education at the heart of #Geneva 2023
A UNESCO-IBE video places education at the centre of its Geneva 2023 communications, presenting the institution’s work to a public audience.
UNESCO-IBE: #Multiligualism and #Interculturality
A UNESCO-IBE social-media project communicates the value of multilingualism and interculturality in education.
UNESCO-IBE: Master’s and Diplomas in Curriculum
A UNESCO-IBE video introduces master’s and diploma programmes in curriculum, supporting outreach to prospective participants.
UNESCO-IBE - #Lifelong #Learning
A UNESCO-IBE social-media project promotes lifelong learning and the role of education beyond formal schooling.
UNESCO-IBE - #curriculum #education for 2022 outreach
A UNESCO-IBE outreach project presents curriculum and education priorities to its digital audience.
UNESCO-IBE: Generative Artificial Intelligence in education: What are the opportunities and challenges?
A UNESCO-IBE article explains opportunities and challenges posed by generative artificial intelligence in education.
European Commission Reels & Copywriting - Tolerance Day
A European Commission Instagram reel combines short-form video and copywriting for International Day for Tolerance communications.
European Commission Reels & Copywriting - Next Generation EU
A European Commission Instagram reel uses short-form video and copywriting to communicate the NextGenerationEU recovery initiative.
ZN: Mastery, Management & Marketing
A ZN editorial communications piece brings together themes of mastery, management and marketing for the agency’s professional audience.
ZN: Bots, Bonds & Brews
A ZN editorial communications piece explores technology and professional connection through the theme Bots, Bonds & Brews.
ZN: Jargon, Journalism & Judgement
A ZN editorial communications piece connects jargon, journalism and judgement for readers interested in media and digital communication.