Zebra Fact Check sent a correction request to the Poynter Institute (”Factually” newsletter) on May 13, 2022
Zebra Fact Check noted that Poynter Institute’s “Factually” newsletter added a false line to a paragraph about a USA Today fact check, saying PolitiFact issued a “PARTLY FALSE” rating for the claim. Zebra Fact Check requested a correction using the email address suggested for that purpose in the newsletter.
Zebra Fact Check also suggested the Poynter Institute should more consistently disclose its ownership of PolitiFact in articles mentioning the latter.
As of May 18, 2023, Zebra Fact Check has noted no corrective changes to the text of the newsletter item.
Hi, I have two items of concern from the latest “Factually” newsletter.
1) The “interesting” fact check item from USA Today gets credited in the body of the description to PolitiFact:
PolitiFact rated the claim “PARTLY FALSE.”
USA Today rated the claim “Partly False.” PolitiFact, so far as I can tell, hasn’t weighed in on that fact check topic.
PolitiFact, in any case, has no “PARTLY FALSE” rating.
2) It’s appropriate to inform readers that PolitiFact (like the IFCN) has Poynter as its owner. That counts as appropriate ethical disclosure when the IFCN is highlighting various fact-checking works and may choose to give its Poynter-owned brethren preferential treatment. Poynter has been inconsistent with this policy, but it’s clear an effort’s been made, and it will look good if the effort is more consistent.
Of course Poynter and the IFCN, like PolitiFact, should follow Poynter’s corrections policy in making corrections.