PolitiFact has partnered with Newsy, a next-generation national news network, to help Americans sort out confusing claims surfacing across politics and media with its new Sunday morning program, “What the Fact.”
In each episode, hosts Aaron Sharockman and Katie Sanders of PolitiFact, the nation’s largest fact-checking journalism website, help viewers sort through what’s real and what’s not as they fact-check recent statements about topics in the news using PolitiFact’s Truth-O-MeterTM rating system.
A Pew Research study from 2016 found that 64 percent of U.S. adults say made-up news has caused confusion about the basic facts of current events. Together, PolitiFact and Newsy seek to cut through the confusion by providing viewers objectivity with transparent and independent reporting.
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“There’s a lot of hand-wringing about facts and truth, particularly on TV. With ‘What the Fact,’ Newsy and PolitiFact are doing something about it,” said Christina Hartman, Newsy’s vice president of news and programming. “‘What the Fact’ is about much more than deeming claims true or not. It’s about important context, delivered in a decidedly non-confrontational way. And — thanks to Aaron and Katie — the facts are just fun to watch.”
The show marks PolitiFact’s first entry into cable news programming.
"If you’re looking for talking heads opining on the news of the day, ‘What the Fact’ isn't for you,” said Sharockman. “And we wouldn’t have it any other way. ‘What the Fact’ appeals to viewers, as crazy as this sounds, because it’s just about facts."
Since its founding in 2007, PolitiFact has fact-checked more than 15,000 specific statements made by politicians and pundits and rated them for accuracy. In 2009, PolitiFact became the first website to win a Pulitzer Prize. It’s now owned by the Poynter Institute.
“What the Fact” airs Sundays at 10 a.m. Eastern on Newsy’s pay-TV channel, available across the leading cable providers and over-the-top platforms including YouTube TV and Sling TV. Viewers can enter their zip code here to find out where Newsy is available in their area.
