Fact-checking and accountability journalism: Popular, Effective — but Sometimes Misunderstood

Most people who studied journalism or communication at a broad selection of schools across the United States believe that fact-checking journalism — a relatively new form of accountability reporting in politics — is effective at improving political discourse, according to a new survey.

About two-thirds of graduates of communication and journalism, or 65 percent, across two generations say they believe fact-checking is an effective form of journalism, according to the survey conducted by the American Press Institute in partnership with 22 universities. That support from the schools’ alumni for “fact-checking journalism” holds true across age groups and employees of a range of media, and is also true of people who work in journalism and those who do not.