Poynter Institute#International Fact-Checking Network

The school began on May 29, 1975,{{Cite web |last=Shedden |first=David |date=2005-05-26 |title=Institute History: 30 Years Ago |url=https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2005/institute-history-30-years-ago/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190403041302/https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2005/institute-history-30-years-ago/ |archive-date=2019-04-03 |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}} when Nelson Poynter, the owner and chairman of the St. Petersburg Times (now the Tampa Bay Times) and Times Publishing Company, announced that he planned to start a small journalism school called the Modern Media Institute.{{Cite web |last=Hooker |first=Robert W. |date=July 16, 2009 |title=By giving away the St. Petersburg Times, Nelson Poynter may have ensured its survival |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/by-giving-away-the-st-petersburg-times-nelson-poynter-may-have-ensured-its/1018033 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616224512/http://www.tampabay.com/news/by-giving-away-the-st-petersburg-times-nelson-poynter-may-have-ensured-its/1018033 |archive-date=2016-06-16 |access-date=2016-06-26 |website=Tampa Bay Times}}

In 1977, Nelson Poynter willed ownership of the Times Publishing Company to the Institute so that after his death the school would become the owner of the St. Petersburg Times.

The name of the school was changed to the "Poynter Institute" in 1984.

Craig Newmark (founder of Craigslist) is a board member of the Poynter Foundation and donated $1 million to it in 2015.{{cite news |last1=Gold |first1=Hadas |url=https://www.politico.com/media/story/2016/12/craigslist-founder-gives-poynter-1-million-for-journalism-ethics-004888 |title=Craigslist founder gives Poynter Institute $1 million to support 'journalism ethics' |date=December 12, 2016 |work=Politico |access-date=November 16, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181117104900/https://www.politico.com/media/story/2016/12/craigslist-founder-gives-poynter-1-million-for-journalism-ethics-004888 |archive-date=November 17, 2018}}{{cite news |last1=O'Shea |first1=Chris |url=https://www.adweek.com/digital/craig-newmark-donates-1-million-to-poynter-institute/ |title=Craig Newmark Donates $1 Million to Poynter Institute |date=December 12, 2018 |work=Adweek |access-date=November 16, 2018 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815030857/https://www.adweek.com/digital/craig-newmark-donates-1-million-to-poynter-institute/ |archive-date=August 15, 2017}}

In 2018, the Poynter Institute began a cooperation with the content recommendation network Revcontent, to stop misinformation and fake news in articles{{cite web |last=Guaglione |first=Sara |date=August 16, 2018 |title=Revcontent, Poynter Partner to Demonetize Fake News |url=https://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/323702/revcontent-poynter-partner-to-demonetize-fake-new.html?edition=110504 |access-date=December 10, 2020 |website=MediaPost |publisher=}}{{cite web |last=Naresh |first=Nitin |date=August 14, 2018 |title=Revcontent is trying to get rid of misinformation with help from the Poynter Institute |url=https://www.inventiva.co.in/trends/inventiva/revcontent-is-trying-to-get-rid-of-misinformation-with-help-from-the-poynter-institute/ |access-date=December 10, 2020 |website=Inventiva |publisher=}}{{Cite web |last=Ha |first=Anthony |date=2018-08-14 |title=Revcontent is trying to get rid of misinformation with help from the Poynter Institute |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/14/revcontent-poynter-institute/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}} supplying Revcontent with fact-checking provided by their International Fact-Checking Network.{{cite web |url=https://techcrunch.com/2018/08/14/revcontent-poynter-institute/ |title=Revcontent is trying to get rid of misinformation with help from the Poynter Institute |publisher=TechCrunch |date=August 14, 2018 |accessdate=August 3, 2021 }} January 11, 2018, the Charles Koch Foundation's Director of Free Expression, Sarah Ruger, stated in an American Society of News Editors news release that "The foundation supports many grantees committed to press freedom, including The Poynter Institute, the Newseum and Techdirt's free speech initiative."{{cite web |last=Cook |first=Christopher D. |date=January 11, 2018 |title=Koch Foundation grants to ASNE, Poynter ignite criticism |url=https://www.cjr.org/analysis/koch-foundation-asne-grant.php |accessdate=August 6, 2021 |website=Columbia Journalism Review |publisher=}} On February 12, 2018, the Tampa Bay Times, the for-profit branch of the nonprofit Poynter institute spun off the Pulitzer Prize–winning PolitiFact website to form an independent division within Poynter.{{cite web |url=https://nonprofitquarterly.org/politifact-becomes-division-within-nonprofit-poynter-institute/ |title=PolitiFact Becomes Its Own Division within Nonprofit Poynter Institute |publisher=Nonprofit Quarterly |date=February 13, 2018 |accessdate=August 9, 2021 }}

Since 2019, The Washington Post has been partnering with the Poynter Institute to increase diversity in media, with the goal to expand Poynter's annual Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media training journalists to become founders, top-level executives and innovators.{{cite news |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2019/04/17/poynter-partners-with-washington-post-leadership-academy-diversity-digital-media |title=The Washington Post partners with Poynter for the Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 17, 2019 |access-date=December 10, 2020 }}{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2019/09/09/washington-post-poynter-name-members-leadership-academy-diversity-digital-media/ |title=The Washington Post and Poynter name members of the 2019 Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=September 9, 2019 |access-date=December 10, 2020 }} Other sponsors are CNN, the Scripps Howard Foundations, Craig Newmark Philanthropies, the Ethics and Excellence in Journalism Foundation and TEGNA Foundation.{{cite web |url=https://cancerletter.com/articles/20200807_8/ |title=Matthew Ong named to the Poynter, Washington Post Leadership Academy for Diversity in Digital Media |publisher=The Cancer Letter |date=August 6, 2020 |access-date=December 11, 2020 }}

Poynter published a list of over 515 news websites that it labeled "unreliable" in 2019. The author of the piece used various fake news databases (including those curated by the Annenberg Public Policy Center, Merrimack College, PolitiFact, and Snopes) to compile the list and called on advertisers to "blacklist" the included sites. The list included conservative news websites such as the Washington Examiner, The Washington Free Beacon, and The Daily Signal as well as conspiracy outfits including InfoWars. After backlash from both readers of and contributors to some of the included publications, Poynter retracted the list, citing "weaknesses in the methodology".{{cite news |last1=Concha |first1=Joe |url=https://thehill.com/homenews/media/441959-poynter-pulls-blacklist-of-unreliable-news-websites-after-backlash |title=Poynter pulls blacklist of 'unreliable' news websites after backlash |date=May 3, 2019 |work=The Hill |access-date=May 3, 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730134545/https://thehill.com/homenews/media/441959-poynter-pulls-blacklist-of-unreliable-news-websites-after-backlash |archive-date=July 30, 2019}} Poynter issued a statement, saying: "[w]e regret that we failed to ensure that the data was rigorous before publication, and apologize for the confusion and agitation caused by its publication."{{cite web |url=https://www.poynter.org/letter-from-the-editor/2019/letter-from-the-editor/ |title=Letter from the Editor |last=Allen |first=Barbara |date=May 2, 2019 |publisher=Poynter Institute |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190826191153/https://www.poynter.org/letter-from-the-editor/2019/letter-from-the-editor/ |archive-date=August 26, 2019 |access-date=May 3, 2019}} Reason pointed out that the author was a freelancer hired by the Institute who typically works for the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC). Reason drew parallels between the accuracy of the list with SPLC's own work on hate groups.{{cite web |last=Soave |first=Robby |date=June 5, 2019 |title=Poynter Institute's Retracted List of Fake News Sites Was Written by SPLC Podcast Producer |url=https://reason.com/2019/05/06/poynter-institute-splc-retracted-list-media/ |accessdate=August 14, 2021 |publisher=Reason Foundation}}

In 2020, after receiving funding from Facebook, the Poynter Institute expanded the MediaWise program with a national media literacy program called MediaWise Voter project (#MVP). Its goal was to reach 2 million American first-time voter college students, helping them to be better prepared and informed for the 2020 elections.{{cite web |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-poynter-institute-announces-investment-from-facebook-to-expand-mediawise-digital-information-literacy-program-to-first-time-voters-300991676.html |title=The Poynter Institute announces investment from Facebook to expand MediaWise digital information literacy program to first-time voters |publisher=PR Newswire |date=January 22, 2020 |accessdate=August 13, 2021 }}{{Secondary source needed|date=July 2024}}

The Poynter Institute received $737,400 in federal loans from the Paycheck Protection Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. President Neil Brown noted that this was not the first time the institute received government funding, noting past training contracts with Voice of America.{{cite news |last1=Farhi |first1=Paul |title=Axios returns coronavirus bailout loan as news organizations grapple with the ethics of taking government funds |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/should-news-organizations-take-coronavirus-bailout-loans-while-some-fear-a-conflict-of-interest-many-are-desperate-for-cash/2020/04/29/0b767830-88cf-11ea-8ac1-bfb250876b7a_story.html |access-date=March 10, 2021 |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 29, 2020}}

File:IFCN logo.svg

In 2015, the institute launched the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN), which sets a code of ethics for fact-checking organizations. The IFCN reviews fact-checkers for compliance with its code, and issues a certification to publishers who pass the audit. The certification lasts for one year, and fact-checkers must be re-examined annually to retain their certifications.{{cite news |last=Lerner-Rubin |first=D. |date=October 23, 2019 |title=Fact-checking fact-checkers |url=https://www.jpost.com/International/Fact-checking-fact-checkers-605142 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200205122528/https://www.jpost.com/International/Fact-checking-fact-checkers-605142 |archive-date=February 5, 2020 |access-date=December 12, 2019 |work=The Jerusalem Post}} Facebook has used the IFCN's certification to vet publishers for fact-checking contracts.{{cite web |last=Owen |first=Laura Hazard |date=August 15, 2019 |title=Finally, Instagram is getting fact-checked (in a limited way and just in the U.S., for now) |url=https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/08/finally-instagram-is-getting-fact-checked-in-a-limited-way-and-just-in-the-u-s-for-now/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191215030522/https://www.niemanlab.org/2019/08/finally-instagram-is-getting-fact-checked-in-a-limited-way-and-just-in-the-u-s-for-now/ |archive-date=December 15, 2019 |access-date=August 15, 2019 |publisher=Nieman Foundation for Journalism |department=Nieman Journalism Lab}}{{cite web |date=August 27, 2018 |title=Facebook's War on Bullshit Is Not Going Well—We Talked to the Fact Checkers on the Front Lines |url=https://gizmodo.com/facebooks-war-on-bullshit-is-not-going-well-we-talked-1828400556 |access-date=December 11, 2020 |publisher=Gizmodo}} In 2025, Facebook parent company Meta announced it would move away from using IFCN-certified fact checkers, and replace with "community notes", similar to what is done on the X social network.{{Cite web |date=2025-01-07 |title=Meta is ending its fact-checking program in favor of a 'community notes' system similar to X's |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/social-media/meta-ends-fact-checking-program-community-notes-x-rcna186468 |access-date=2025-01-13 |website=NBC News |language=en}} Membership has also been used to identify the reliability of a fact-checking organization.{{Cite web |last=Ruggeri |first=Amanda |date=May 10, 2024 |title=The 'Sift' strategy: A four-step method for spotting misinformation |url=https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240509-the-sift-strategy-a-four-step-method-for-spotting-misinformation |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=BBC |language=en-GB}} DW called it the most prominent fact-checking consortium.{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=October 8, 2020 |title=Fact-checking: A curated guide to resources and ideas |url=https://www.dw.com/en/fact-checking-a-curated-guide-to-resources-and-ideas/a-54509776 |access-date=2024-07-18 |website=DW.COM |language=en-GB}}

The IFCN and the American Press Institute jointly publish Factually, a newsletter on fact-checking and journalism ethics.{{cite web |last=Granger |first=Jacob |date=April 24, 2019 |title=10 essential newsletters every journalist should read |url=https://www.journalism.co.uk/skills/10-essential-newsletters-for-journalists/s7/a737859/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190502122642/https://www.journalism.co.uk/skills/10-essential-newsletters-for-journalists/s7/a737859/ |archive-date=May 2, 2019 |access-date=December 12, 2019 |website=Journalism.co.uk}} The IFCN also organizes Global Fact, a yearly conference on fact checking.{{cite news |last=Oyedeji |first=Niyi |date=April 14, 2022 |title=Fact-checkers head to Oslo for ninth edition of Global Fact conference |url=https://factcheckhub.com/fact-checkers-head-to-oslo-for-ninth-edition-of-global-fact-conference/ |access-date=July 8, 2023 |website=FactCheckHub}}

News University (NewsU) is a project of the Poynter Institute that offers journalism training through methods including e-learning courses, webinars, and learning games. NewsU is funded by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.{{cite news |date=June 28, 2016 |title=Poynter Institute to grow 'News University' platform with Knight Foundation funding |url=https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/poynter-institute-to-grow-news-university-platform-with-knight-foundation/2283400/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190503201123/https://www.tampabay.com/news/business/poynter-institute-to-grow-news-university-platform-with-knight-foundation/2283400/ |archive-date=May 3, 2019 |access-date=May 3, 2019 |work=Tampa Bay Times}}

In 2023, the News Leaders Association transferred stewardship of the NLA Awards to the Poynter Institute, who will administer the contest from 2024 onward, and the awards were renamed to The Poynter Journalism Prizes.{{Cite web |last=Orsi |first=Jennifer |date=November 30, 2023 |title=Poynter Institute to run respected 45-year-old journalism contest, now renamed The Poynter Journalism Prizes |url=https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2023/poynter-institute-to-run-respected-45-year-old-journalism-contest-now-renamed-the-poynter-journalism-prizes-nla-asne/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter}}{{Cite web |last= |first= |date=2023-12-12 |title=NLA board approves membership's vote to dissolve by June 2024 |url=https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/nla-board-approves-memberships-vote-to-dissolve-by-june-2024,247154 |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Editor & Publisher |language=en}}{{Cite news |date=2024-04-24 |title=The Post receives multiple honors in the Poynter Journalism Prizes |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/2024/04/24/post-receives-multiple-honors-poynter-journalism-prizes/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |newspaper=Washington Post |language=en-US |issn=0190-8286}} That same year, Poynter announced the creation of a new prize in honor of Roy Peter Clark called The Roy Peter Clark Award for Excellence in Short Writing.{{Cite web |last=Orsi |first=Jennifer |date=December 12, 2023 |title=The Poynter Journalism Prizes establishes new award honoring writing coach Roy Peter Clark |url=https://www.poynter.org/news-release/2023/the-poynter-journalism-prizes-establishes-new-award-honoring-writing-coach-roy-peter-clark/ |access-date=December 14, 2023 |website=Poynter}}{{Cite web |last=Banaszynski |first=Jacqui |date=Dec 14, 2023 |title=Writing award named for Roy Peter Clark |url=https://niemanstoryboard.org/stories/writing-award-named-for-roy-peter-clark/ |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=Nieman Storyboard |language=en-US}}

Since 2015, the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism has been awarded by the Poynter Institute. Winners include:

• 2015: Bob Schieffer, former CBS News anchor and host of Face the Nation{{Cite web |last=Hare |first=Kristen |date=2015-06-23 |title=Poynter to honor Bob Schieffer with lifetime achievement award |url=https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2015/poynter-to-honor-bob-schieffer-with-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2016: Tom Brokaw, former anchor of NBC Nightly News{{Cite web |last=Mullin |first=Benjamin |date=2016-03-31 |title=Poynter to honor Tom Brokaw with lifetime achievement award |url=https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2016/poynter-to-honor-tom-brokaw-with-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2017: Judy Woodruff, anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour{{Cite web |last=Mullin |first=Benjamin |date=2017-04-13 |title=Poynter to honor Judy Woodruff with lifetime achievement award |url=https://www.poynter.org/newsletters/2017/poynter-to-honor-judy-woodruff-with-lifetime-achievement-award/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2018: Lester Holt, anchor of NBC Nightly News and Dateline NBC{{Cite web |last=Dyakon |first=Tina |date=2018-07-16 |title=Lester Holt to receive Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism |url=https://www.poynter.org/business-work/2018/lester-holt-to-receive-poynter-medal-for-lifetime-achievement-in-journalism/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2019: Katie Couric, broadcast journalist, author and media entrepreneur{{Cite web |last=Grau |first=Mel |date=2019-07-10 |title=Poynter to honor Katie Couric and Norman Pearlstine at its Bowtie Ball on Nov. 2 |url=https://www.poynter.org/from-the-institute/2019/poynter-to-honor-katie-couric-and-norman-pearlstine-at-its-bowtie-ball-on-nov-2/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2020: Chris Wallace, anchor of Fox News Sunday{{Cite web |last=Dyakon |first=Tina |date=2020-09-23 |title=Poynter to honor Chris Wallace at its fundraising gala |url=https://www.poynter.org/from-the-institute/2020/poynter-to-honor-chris-wallace-at-its-fundraising-gala/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2021: Lesley Stahl, correspondent for CBS News' 60 Minutes{{Cite web |last=Dyakon |first=Tina |date=2021-09-13 |title=Poynter to honor Lesley Stahl during its annual fundraising gala |url=https://www.poynter.org/news-release/2021/poynter-to-honor-lesley-stahl-during-its-annual-fundraising-gala/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2022: Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein, investigative journalists{{Cite web |last=Bealor |first=Sara |date=2022-08-29 |title=Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein to be honored with the Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement |url=https://www.poynter.org/from-the-institute/2022/bob-woodward-and-carl-bernstein-to-be-honored-with-the-poynter-medal-for-lifetime-achievement/ |access-date=2023-12-14 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}
• 2023: Anderson Cooper, broadcast journalist and political commentator for CNN{{Cite web |title=Anderson Cooper receives lifetime achievement award at the 2023 Bowtie Ball |url=https://www.tampabay.com/life-culture/bay-magazine/2024/02/19/poynterinstitute-andersoncooper-bowtieball-journalismaward-fundraisinggala/ |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=Tampa Bay Times |language=en}}
• 2024: Robin Roberts, co-anchor of ABC's Good Morning America{{Cite web |last=Streissguth |first=Adele |date=2024-08-07 |title=Robin Roberts of ABC's 'Good Morning America' to receive Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism |url=https://www.poynter.org/from-the-institute/2024/robin-roberts-of-abcs-good-morning-america-to-receive-poynter-medal-for-lifetime-achievement-in-journalism/ |access-date=2024-08-07 |website=Poynter |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Florida|Journalism}}

• Donald K. Fry
• Kelly McBride

{{reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{ProPublicaNonprofitExplorer|591630423}}
• [https://ifcncodeofprinciples.poynter.org/signatories Members] of the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN)

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Category:1975 establishments in Florida

Category:American journalism organizations

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Category:Universities and colleges established in 1975

Category:Fact-checking websites

Category:Journalism schools in the United States

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