Poynter’s PolitiFact and The Philly Inquirer form state partnership

The Poynter Institute announced a new partnership between its fact-checking news organization PolitiFact and The Philadelphia Inquirer.

“The Inquirer partnered with PolitiFact to bring an added layer of transparency and trust to our political coverage in this pivotal election year,” said Stan Wischnowski, Inquirer senior vice president and executive editor. “The timing couldn’t be better: Given the critical importance of this election and the high level of political rhetoric swirling around, audiences are looking for a timely, sophisticated and proven approach to fact-checking.”

As part of the partnership, the Inquirer will use PolitiFact’s trademark methodology and collaborate with its editors.  The organizations will also work together to produce fact-checks that hold local politicians accountable and provide trustworthy, accurate information to citizens.

The articles and Truth-O-Meter ratings will be published by The Inquirer and on PolitiFact’s newly enhanced website.

“The Philadelphia Inquirer’s reputation and tenacity make it the ideal partner for PolitiFact in Pennsylvania,” said Aaron Sharockman, PolitiFact executive director. “Our partnership will bolster both organizations’ reporting capacity leading up to the 2020 election but will go beyond this year as well. Accountability journalism is just as important for candidates as it is for elected officials.”

This recent expansion in state partnerships comes on the heels of another that began late last year with the University of Iowa’s student newspaper, The Daily Iowan.