Episode 95: A Matter Of Fact

Otherwise?

We hear a lot about fake news, but that is a very broad and misleading term. According to the Ethical Journalism Network, "fake news is information deliberately fabricated and published with the intention to deceive and mislead others into believing falsehoods or doubting verifiable facts." This term conflates three types of information disorder: misinformation, disinformation and malinformation.

In the spirit of International Fact Checking Day, celebrated annually on April 2nd, we're joined by Eric Mugendi, Managing Editor of Pesacheck, to discuss fact checking in general, and within the Kenyan context. What exactly is fact checking, and why is it important, especially in this digital age? What establishes something as a “fact” vis a vis an opinion? What exactly is information disorder? And what is the difference between these three types of disorder? What kinds of challenges do misinformation, disinformation and malinformation pose to modern day journalism? What is the role of media organizations when it comes to fact checking? Press play to find out!

Resources

Journalism, 'Fake News' and Disinformation: A Handbook for Journalism Education and Training

Thinking about 'Information Disorder': Formats of Misinformation, Disinformation and Mal-Information

INFORMATION DISORDER: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policy making

Understanding and Addressing the Disinformation Ecosystem

Improving Media’s Ability To Check The Facts: We Need A Media Culture That Double Checks Numbers

How to Fact Check: Tips and Advice

Africa Check: Sorting Fact from Fiction

The Reality of Fake News in Kenya

Information Disorder, Part 1: The Essential Glossary

Information Disorder, Part 2: Mapping the Landscape

Information Disorder, Part 3: Useful Graphics

10 questions to ask before covering mis- and dis-information

Media Manipulation and Disinformation Online

Image credit: VOA News