PA Media says both organisations are accredited by the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) and will collaborate in the coming months to examine and debunk false claims before they take hold. They will also make these checks available to news publishers for free via PA’s distribution network. The organisation says this means the integrity of debates around key issues can be maintained, and the public can go to the polls armed with accurate information to make an informed decision on election day, which could take place later this year.
The threat posed by mis- and disinformation means newsrooms across Ireland are looking for ways to protect their operations, publications and readers in the run-up to the general election, added PA Media. To support this, as part of the new partnership, publishers will be offered free digital verification training sessions for their journalists, helping to upskill staff and providing the tools they need to identify and combat false information during the election campaigns.
Those journalists will also be invited to join the Election Check 24 communication channel, where they will be able to flag any potential concerns and work with the fact-checking team in real time.
Wesley Johnson, head of production at PA Media commented, “With the constant and growing threat from false and fake claims, we want to use our position at the heart of the media industry to strengthen our democracy and help voters to make well-informed decisions based on facts, not falsehoods.
“Giving journalists the skills and verification tools they need to tackle mis- and disinformation will help prepare them for key challenges in the future.”
Susan Daly, managing editor at Journal Media, said, "Citizens face a barrage of information in navigating everyday life and quality journalism has an ever-increasing role to play as a trustworthy resource and buttress against disinformation. The Journal FactCheck is delighted to partner with PA Media to strengthen our contribution to this effort. We hope that by distributing verified, factual and objective reporting to PA Media's diverse clients and their audiences, we can support the Irish electorate in making informed decisions as they go to the polls in the upcoming general election."
PA Media says the project follows the success of its Election Check 24 coalition, also supported by the Google News Initiative, which partnered with news outlets and fact-checkers around the UK’s general election earlier this year.
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