Poynter Institute Press Release
The Poynter Institute will build an international fact checking operation with $225,000 in grant funding from Omidyar Network and $75,000 from the National Endowment for Democracy.
The initiative will comprise of a new website, e-learning packages around fact checking skills and an annual global fact checking summit. Poynter will be working with an international community of fact checkers that will be based at the institute.
The website is set for launch in 2016, and the fact checking group will be led by a forthcoming hire from the institute.
Poynter has had other initiatives around fact checking, including its “Regret the Error” blog and online courses on verification both before and after publication.
The Duke University Reporter’s Lab, which is a partner for the institute’s upcoming global fact checking summit, comes with experience in the space. Bill Adair, a professor from Duke University’s Sanford School of Public Policy and creator of the Tampa Bay Times’ PolitiFact, will also be an adviser to the project.
“We’re thrilled that Omidyar Network, NED and our other project funders have entrusted Poynter to advance the important work of the international community of fact checkers,” said Poynter president Tim Franklin. “Creating the new site, e- learning, organizing the world’s fact checkers and convening the annual summit will help grow the international fact checking movement and empower the citizens in those countries.”