This document outlines a proposed European fact-checking project for journalism students called Factbar.eu. It would involve cooperation between 10-15 EJTA member schools to develop a fact-checking course and methodology. Students would actively check statements by politicians and factual errors in the media. Pilot projects would take place during regional and national elections. The goals are to support quality journalism, increase transparency in politics, and engage citizens in fact-based debate while providing hands-on experience for students. Implementation would start with pilot projects in 2016-2017 before a larger project checking statements in the 2019 European Parliament elections.

1. WWW.EJTA.EU
Project: FACTBAR.EU
A European fact-checking project for journalism
students
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2. • cooperation of different fact-checking projects
• by 10-15 EJTA members
• coached by staff
• involving Journalism students actively
• creating a fact-checking course / module
• with a similar methodology
• final result: EJTA network with parallel fact-checking
sites
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Factbar.eu in a nutshell

3. • check statements from politicians
• correct factual mistakes in the media
• for citizens with questions about political
statements
• on online, open sources
• using social media
• pilots: during elections (regional / national)
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Factbar.eu in a nutshell

4. • Importance of fact checking
o Fast journalism; 24/7 news production
o Double checking
• Credibility of ‘new’ media
o Everybody journalist?
• Journalism education and reliability
o Most important asset?
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Context

5. • Support quality journalism
• Watchdog for politicians and for news media
• Enlarge the public debate
• Engage Europeans in a more fact-based debate
• Create pedagogical project
• For journalism students with real live impact
• Cooperate across Europe
• Between EJTA-schools (and FEJS-schools)
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Targets

6. • The original concept: Finnish internet-based fact check
service http://faktabaari.fi
• Pilotproject: EP elections in 2014, 60 fact-checked claims
• Second project: Finnish Parliament elections in 2015,
together with students.
• Next:
 Apply the Finnish concept on European level
 3 year project with final phase:
European elections 2019
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Faktabaari Finland

7. What is a FACT?
o When is something 5%, 25%, 50% true?
o What is actually being claimed by the politicians?
Which dimensions of FACTUALITY do we use?
o Accurate: no factual errors (e.g. numbers, shares, actors)
o Balanced: no essential information is missing
o Fair: no suggestive context (e.g. language, images)
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Questions about ‘FACTS’

8. • How to decide which questions will be checked?
• How to evaluate which expert is right?
• How to involve citizens?
• How to stay non-partisan?
• How to influence / contact the media (regional / national)?
• How to publish and develop an open source network?
• How to avoid popularisation or oversimplification?
• And many more.
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Questions within the project

9. • 2016: Invitation to EJTA members (July)
• 2016: Pilot in Antwerp AP Univ. College (Autumn)
Train the trainer in Paris (October)
• 2017: Pilot UK, workshops for EJTA and FEJS
• 2018: Expert database; Training of J-students
• 2019: EP election project
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Next steps

10. • One contact person per participating J-school
• Each participant: in curriculum fact checking module /
course (with EC)
• Methodology: Faktabaari + input pilots
• National pilot / development of module: OWN funding
(e.g. Erasmus+ staff exchange)
• On demand: synopsis (nadia.vissers@ap.be)
• Letter of commitment: sent on 01/09
back on 01/10
• First meeting= Teachers’ Conference, Paris
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Commitment