Foundation for Internet and Society

The Media Fact-Checking Service:Holding Macedonian Media

Accountable

Filip Stojanovski @razvigor

Media Fact-Checking Service @proverkanafakti @verifikofaktet

Metamorphosis Foundation @fmeta

POINT Conference 3.0 @pointconference, #POINT30May 22, 2014

Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Media Fact-Checking Service

USAID Strengthening Media in Macedonia Project - Media Fact-Checking Service Component implemented by Metamorphosis aims to empower Macedonian citizens to hold media accountable, and to aid journalists in implementation of their professional standards, by providing online tools and resources for public education and raising awareness.

The Service works on increasing citizen demand for fact-based, objective and professional news and information.

FactChecking.mk

Origins

• Expanding the concept of Truth-Meter (@vistinomer), which holds politicians accountable

• Media are also essential part of the political process

• Media accountability based on standards of ethical journalism• Code of Conduct of Journalists of Macedonia• International Journalist Codices

USAID Media Strengthening in Macedonia Project Media Fact-Checking Service Component, implemented by Metamorphosis.

Production

Expert Pool•Experts (human rights, law, media… ~10)•Experienced Journalists (~30)

Articles•Critical Discourse Analyses (93)•Journalistic Peer Reviews (715)•Educative Articles Journalistic Lessons (53)

USAID Media Strengthening in Macedonia Project Media Fact-Checking Service Component, implemented by Metamorphosis.

Methodology: Peer Reviews Research Questions

1. Truthfulness of facts

2. Information sources

3. Extensiveness

4. Partiality (Bias)

5. Commenting in News

6. Plagiarism

7. Quality of the title

8. Photograph

9. Discrimination / Hate speech

10.Optimized for the web

+ A screen shot for documentation and Infographic to present the findings

Peer Reviews Examples• Faulty Image

• Blatant Disinformation

• Political Propaganda

• Crime news vs Dignity

• Personality Cult

• Character Assassinations

• Quality Articles

Analysis and Lessons Examples• How-to articles

• Children’s rights

• Deconstructing propaganda

• Public health issues

• Promoting diversity

• …incl. the rights of People with Disabilities

Engagement of Journalists and Editors

• Republishing • Over 30 various websites republished Service’s

articles

• Direct Feedback • Positive and

• Negative • Public discrediting attempts

• Defamation lawsuit threats

• Changes within newsrooms • Improvement of daily practices

• Removal of some reviewed articles (51 in 2013)

Publishing and Reading Data

Kind of articles

Number Published

Number of Readings

Readings Average

Analysis 93 357.329 3.842

Peer Reviews715 161.422 226

Journalistic Lessons 53 156.399 2.951

• Data for the period between January 1, 2013 and March 31, 2014.• Includes data from Service websites and available data on readings of

articles republished on other sites (minimal estimates)

Citizen Engagement

• Comments and Reactions

• Review Proposals

• Website visits & number of readings of republished articles

• Facebook Pages Fans Twitter Followers• in Macedonian 11.526 | in Macedonian

717

• in Albanian 2.029 | in Albanian346www.metamorphosis.org.

mk

Key Factor: Credibility

• Transparent and Accountable Methodology

• Consistent Application of the Methodology

• Openness for communication and corrections

www.metamorphosis.org.mk

Thank you for your attentionFactChecking.mk

Metamorphosis.org.mk

Twitter: @fmeta @proverkanafakti @verifikofaktet

Published under Creative Commons BY-ND 4.0 License.

This presentation was created within the framework of the USAID Media Strengthening in Macedonia Project – Media Fact-Checking Service Component (factchecking.mk), implemented by Metamorphosis. The presentation is made possible by the generous support of the American people through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The contents are the responsibility of its author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Metamorphosis, USAID or the United States Government. For more information on the work of USAID in Macedonia please visit its website (macedonia.usaid.gov) and Facebook page (www.facebook.com/USAIDMacedonia).