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A few years ago the Columbia Journalism Review published an article about how great Der Spiegel's fact checkers were. https://archives.cjr.org/behind_the_news/

A few years ago the Columbia Journalism Review published an article about how great Der Spiegel's fact checkers were. https://archives.cjr.org/behind_the_news/inside_the_worlds_largest_fact.php https://archives.cjr.org/behind_the_news/inside_the_worlds_l... It's quite obvious that article about that small town had not passed through the most cursory fact checking. The CJR owes some explanation.

smadge 8y ago
My impression from that interview is that the fact checkers are not doing things like calling movies theaters, mayors, or owners of restaurants and verifying the statements they allegedly made in their interviews with the reporter are true. Instead they are cross referencing claims made by their reporters, things like whether or not a politician has been quoted in a reputable newspaper as saying something, or how many jobs were created in a time period, with their database of open source intelligence. Is it expected that a fact checker contact everyone a journalist interviewed and go over each sentence and claim line by line and verify that it is true?
- deleted 8y ago
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- oldgradstudent 8y ago
  That's a great point. I was under the impression those were just examples. The article says that the biggest difference from the american model is the timing of consulting with the fact checkers. As far as I understand, in the american model the fact checker is often responsible to verify sources and details, as described in The New Yorker job description: https://www.newyorker.com/home/about/fact-checker https://www.newyorker.com/home/about/fact-checker
- whatshisface 8y ago
  I would argue that fact checkers should send a copy of the publication to everyone who was interviewed, and should be the first line of contact for "I didn't say that."
- erikpukinskis 8y ago
  > Is it expected that a fact checker contact everyone a journalist interviewed and go over each sentence and claim line by line and verify that it is true? Yes, this is exactly what fact checkers at top newspapers were traditionally paid to do. I have no idea how many true fact checkers are left, but you described the job precisely.
usrusr 8y ago
It's easy for fact checkers to check many facts while unconsciously developing a predictable pattern that leaves a certain kind of facts routinely unchecked, leaving an opportunity for fakesters.
- oaiey 8y ago
  This is what happened plus personal relationships due to long years of work next to each other. He prepared the stuff ready for the fact checkers the way they liked it. And they believed him because he was a pro. Humans at work

smadge 8y ago

My impression from that interview is that the fact checkers are not doing things like calling movies theaters, mayors, or owners of restaurants and verifying the statements they allegedly made in their interviews with the reporter are true. Instead they are cross referencing claims made by their reporters, things like whether or not a politician has been quoted in a reputable newspaper as saying something, or how many jobs were created in a time period, with their database of open source intelligence. Is it expected that a fact checker contact everyone a journalist interviewed and go over each sentence and claim line by line and verify that it is true?

deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
oldgradstudent 8y ago
That's a great point. I was under the impression those were just examples. The article says that the biggest difference from the american model is the timing of consulting with the fact checkers. As far as I understand, in the american model the fact checker is often responsible to verify sources and details, as described in The New Yorker job description: https://www.newyorker.com/home/about/fact-checker https://www.newyorker.com/home/about/fact-checker
whatshisface 8y ago
I would argue that fact checkers should send a copy of the publication to everyone who was interviewed, and should be the first line of contact for "I didn't say that."
erikpukinskis 8y ago
> Is it expected that a fact checker contact everyone a journalist interviewed and go over each sentence and claim line by line and verify that it is true? Yes, this is exactly what fact checkers at top newspapers were traditionally paid to do. I have no idea how many true fact checkers are left, but you described the job precisely.

usrusr 8y ago

It's easy for fact checkers to check many facts while unconsciously developing a predictable pattern that leaves a certain kind of facts routinely unchecked, leaving an opportunity for fakesters.

oaiey 8y ago
This is what happened plus personal relationships due to long years of work next to each other. He prepared the stuff ready for the fact checkers the way they liked it. And they believed him because he was a pro. Humans at work