Fact-checking culture

Craig Silverman at the Columbia Journalism Review writes that American’s newest pastime is “fact checking,” an obsession with (sometimes) objectivity and transparency fed by the easily availability of information on the Web.

Silverman points out that the term “fact checking” it getting thrown around so often that it’s in danger of losing its meaning. In addition to getting abused by major media outlets, people “say they’re fact checking a media report when they’re simply disagreeing with it.”

Still, this cultural obsession with facts has a good side, Silverman notes:

The ability to identify errors, engage people in the reporting process, and enable them to contribute in meaningful ways is the true value of the checking obsession. Everybody wants to play, and we should find better ways of bringing them on the field.

Some people question the idea of adding source documents to stories the Chronicle publishes. Why? Who’s going to read them? Well, if Silverman’s at all — and I think he is — then providing source documents is a way of engaging the readers and making them feel like a part of the news (plus, it keeps us somewhat accountable).

Related posts:

1. The importance of transparency
2. Dabblers go home; journalists need to be social media leaders