In the week of @politifact’s 15th anniversary, it’s worth noting that we also created a sustained effort to hold presidents and governors accountable for their campaign promises. It takes a lot of work and isn’t very sexy. But it is vital accountability journalism.

An important story by NPR's David Folkenflik points out the growing number of digital propagandists that masquerade as local news sites. At Journal_List we are deploying a solution. Learn more: journallist.net

“Fact deserts” – New Duke Reporters' Lab report finds lack of fact-checking leaves states vulnerable to election lies. reporterslab.org/fact-deserts-l…

“Fact deserts” in 29 states meant many politicians’ statements during the 2022 campaign weren’t scrutinized by local fact-checkers. This overview by our Reporters' Lab at DeWitt Wallace Center at Duke University is the first of two LocalFact studies. (Many thx to the Knight Foundation for its support!)

This is tremendous news and a major commitment to fact-checking.

"Fact-checks are more than just articles declaring whether a politician’s statement was true or false. Those articles are also data that can help companies make smarter decisions." buff.ly/3USMHRj Bill Adair #predix2023

One of fact-checking's dangers? You become "more annoying at parties," warns @africacheck's Kirsten Cosser. Other fact-checkers will rate this claim "Mostly Correct" on Africa Check's 8-point scale. ("Mostly" because we're not really SO bad.) bit.ly/3Ce1aRo

Many thanks to AAM and Digital Content Next for showcasing Journal_List's news transparency project....

I have a story in TAL this week. Working on it entirely transformed my view of love. I cried making it. Actually I cried a couple times making it. But I also laughed my ass off and got butterflies in my stomach

The more things change… This column by Kyle Whitmire about Democratic Party infighting in Alabama reminded me of Emmanuel Dzotsi’s 2019 series for Reply All, “The Real Enemy” (episodes 152-154). That three-parter is on my list of best political reporting in the past decade. Go listen.

I’ve long had a rallying cry that fact-checking keeps growing. It’s no longer true, according to the new census from ⁦Mark Stencel⁩ Erica Ryan and Joel Luther of ⁦Reporters' Lab⁩ reporterslab.org/misinformation…

New findings below from the Duke Reporters' Lab's 10th annual fact-checking census -- especially concerns about how to keep pace with mis-/disinformation around the world. Much to discuss next week at International Fact-Checking Network #GlobalFact10 in Seoul.

A must-read rant by Knight Foundation’s Jim Brady on how newspapers treat digital subscribers — like Kafkaesque cancelation processes. Sadly too many public media and digital news sites do the same thing, like having to call or email to update a credit card or even INCREASE a donation!

Jeff Bezos didn’t understand why Washington Post editor Marty Baron needed so many new editors. So, Marty Baron got creative: nytimes.com/2023/07/22/bus… A profile of Jeff Bezos, newspaper baron, with Katie Robertson

Truly grateful to my friends and colleagues at AAM, who have been stalwarts in Journal_List's trust.txt transparency initiative. If you're interested in what we're up to...