9. Fact Checking

Hi, I’m Greg and I want to grumble about facts. Well, actually about journalism and facts.

During the Federal election there were at least 3 Fact Checking websites set up to check the factual accuracy of things politicians say. The ABC had a staff of about 10 people in their “Fact Checking” unit, while the US-based “PolitiFact” set up a branch in Australia to keep an eye on our pollies' claims. This added to Crickey.com who was running a regular fact checking service, “Get Fact”.

Now don’t get me wrong. Independent fact checking and calling our politicians to account is a good thing. By why is it needed? Isn’t that what journalists are supposed to do as their day job?

Apparently not. Tight news cycles and inexperienced journalists mean that most of the political news coverage we get is he-said/she-said competing claims with no analysis and no way the public can work out what the truth is. Journalists could check with independent experts and either present those views, or inform themselves and make an assessment of the facts and issues and then tell us the story. But instead what we often get is simply a packaging of sound-bytes from political leaders. The “news story” is not about the issue, but what one person said about what the other person said about the issue.

And then there is the issue of balance. Any journalist actually trying to do an assessment of issues and present facts about who is right or wrong on a particular issue will inevitably be the subject of a complaint of bias. This is particularly the case if they work for the ABC – not because the ABC is biased, it is just easier to complain about. And so, we get an even more extreme version of political debate where if one view is put, “balance” requires that the opposite view be put. The views may be bizarre, offensive or incredible, and such balance may make shows like Q&A unwatchable, but it is balanced – apparently! Well, I’m sorry, the earth is round, climate change is real, and you can’t live properly on a $35 a day Newstart Allowance – and I don’t need to hear from someone providing me “balance” on this.

So, good luck to the fact checkers checking the facts that the journalist fact checkers don’t check. And long live community radio where you can actually discuss issues.

I am Greg, and I am grumbling.

This Grumble can be heard online or by podcast at https://radio.adelaide.edu.au/gregs-grumbles-9/ 

First Broadcast:1 October 2013