Fact checks fall amid political pressure
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The politicization of fact-checking has contributed to a decline in the number of fact-checking sites globally, according to data from Duke Reporters' Lab.
Why it matters: Attempts to undermine fact-checkers and fears of bias are forcing news organizations to rethink the way they present fact checks, especially during real-time events.
- In some parts of the world, political pressure has directly impacted the closure of fact-checking operations. In others, it's a funding issue.
- In North America, the number of active fact-checking sites decreased from 94 to 90 from 2020 to 2023, per Duke Reporters' Lab.
State of play: Moderators and interviewers are refraining from fact-checking as heavily during live debates and interviews, but news outlets are adding more resources to their fact-checking teams behind the scenes.
- CBS News plans to air a QR code on-screen during its presentation of the 2024 vice presidential debate Tuesday evening.
- The code, when scanned, will give viewers access to a live blog powered by a team of 20 trained journalists on CBS News' website of real-time fact checks of the candidates' statements.
- The moderators, "CBS Evening News" anchor Norah O'Donnell and "Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan, will mostly encourage candidates to fact-check each other on stage but may offer clarifications for accuracy if necessary.
Between the lines: The politicization of fact-checking has played out in real time this election cycle, putting TV news networks in a bind.
- Conservatives attacked ABC News moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis for fact-checking last month's debate in real time.
- Liberals cried foul when CNN declined to fact-check Trump in real time during the Biden-Trump debate in June.
To hedge, more TV networks are assigning dedicated fact-checkers to lead their coverage in the immediate aftermath of live interviews or debates, rather than constantly interrupt the main event.
- CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett will lead on-air fact-checking in CBS News' post-VP debate coverage Tuesday.
- CNN's Daniel Dale is typically brought in to fact-check any live debate or interview almost immediately after it concludes.
Meanwhile, candidates have used fact checks as a leverage point for whether to engage in debates and interviews.
- Donald Trump, Axios reported, held up an interview for over an hour this year because he didn't want to be fact-checked.
- Campaigns and political operatives have started to fact-check others' fact checks to support their political positions.
The big picture: Fact-checking started to become mainstream after PolitiFact won its first Pulitzer in 2009, but the practice really took off globally during the Trump era.
- The number of global fact-checking sites increased 140% from 2016 to 2022, per Duke Reporters' Lab, before starting to level off last year.
