Fact-checking and the quality of journalism
Scrutinising claims and the dissemination of information is a key step in combating the spread of false and/or misleading information.
Fact-checking is an indicator of journalistic quality, applied during the news production process, for example, to claims or information disseminated by different social actors. Recently, the publication of a video alleging that an immigrant was sharpening knives on Portuguese public transport, shared by a Chega MP, was subjected to fact-checking by Lusa Verifica. The conclusion was that the allegations were false: the video had been recorded in San Francisco, USA, in mid-summer 2025. Lusa Verifica is a recent service of Agência Lusa, whose aim is to contribute to public clarification. The need for verification has expanded. Several statements made by candidates in the Portuguese presidential elections have also been subject to scrutiny, for instance, by Polígrafo—through its website and through explanatory, easily accessible posts on social media platforms such as Instagram. Polígrafo is a journal dedicated to fact-checking across a range of topics, including politics and health.
At the international level, another relevant actor in the fight against disinformation is Media Bias/Fact Check (based in California, USA), which selects and publishes fact-checks daily from organisations that are part of the International Fact-Checking Network, as well as from other organisations it has verified as reliable. In addition, it raises awareness of bias and disinformation in the media by assessing media bias, factual accuracy, and source credibility.
Fact-checking is a fundamental step in producing high-quality information and addressing the challenges posed by the spread of false or misleading information. It is recognised as an indicator of journalistic quality in models such as that proposed by Casero Ripollés and López Rabadán (2013). Other assessment indicators include, for example, accuracy and objectivity (Jenkins & Nielsen, 2020), diversity of sources (Silva, 2023), and depth (Odriozola-Chéné et al., 2019).
Machine Learning Post-Editing: Anabela Delgado
Note
The International Fact-Checking Network, hosted by Poynter, brings together more than 170 fact-checking organisations worldwide through advocacy, training and global events.
References
Casero Ripollés, A., & López Rabadán, P. (2013). La gestión de fuentes informativas como critério de calidad professional. In J. L. Gómez Mompart, J. F. Gutiérrez Lozano & D. Palau Sampio (Eds.), La calidad periodística. Teorias, investigaciones y sugerencias profesionales (pp. 73–89). aldea global.
Jenkins, J., & Nielsen, R. (2020). Proximity, public service, and popularity: A comparative study of how local journalists view quality news. Journalism Studies, 21(2), 236–253. https://doi.org/10.1080/1461670X.2019.1636704
Silva, M. S. (2023). “Não tenho as condições”: Como os jornalistas de televisão e rádio avaliam a qualidade do jornalismo em Portugal. Comunicação e Sociedade, 44, e023020. https://doi.org/10.17231/comsoc.44(2023).4737
Odriozola-Chéné, J., Gutiérrez-Atala, F., Domínguez-Panamá, J., & Pérez-Arozamena, R. (2019). Las relaciones de las influencias em los procesos de producción informativa y sus efectos em la calidad periodística. Uma vision desde latinoamérica. Cadernos.info, (44), 119–134. https://doi.org/10.7764/cdi.44.1297
Photography: Brad Starkey, at Unsplash
