On Aug. 3, 2023 and Feb. 1, 2024 (x2) we wrote to the International Fact-Checking Network at the Poynter Institute asking for corrections to cases where the IFCN credits/blames Bryan W. White (this author) with resolving unresolved complaints about IFCN signatory organizations. Yet the Poynter Institute has not corrected the apparently false reports and has not explained its decision not to correct the apparently false reports.
At a loss as to how to proceed when Poynter and the IFCN ignore email messages, we journeyed to the Poynter Institute on March 14, 2024 to make a personal inquiry. We found the south doors of the Poynter Institute locked, but ringing a doorbell resulted in the appearance of a Poynter Institute employee.
The employee, who identified himself as “Alex” (Mahadevan, we would say) listened to our description of the problem and said nobody from the IFCN was present at the Poynter Institute that day. He suggested Tuesday as a better day for the inquiry. He also said he would pass along my complaint to the IFCN, taking a photo of my handwritten email address from a notebook.
We’ll see if anything comes of it.
