Separate Worlds of Misinformation. An Explorative Study of Checked Claims in German Public Broadcast News and Talk Shows

Research on misinformation has mostly focused on social media and alternative news. By contrast, we know little about the extent of misinformation in mainstream media, especially public broadcasting. Given that public broadcasting plays a central role in news consumption, there is reason to fill this research gap. This study is a first step in that direction. By semi-automatically matching fact-checked claims with statements from the subtitles of German public broadcasting news and talk shows, the study examines the dynamics of these claims. It finds a total of 77 matches in 67 episodes, or 4.85% of all episodes. The rate is higher for talk shows (11.62%) than for news shows (2.28%). The claims cover a range of topics and often aim to destabilize trust in public institutions or discredit the political course of opposing parties. In most cases, they are made by politicians from populist or (far) right parties. In about half of cases, the claim is contradicted by the journalist or talk show guest, but often it is left uncommented, even if the claim was fact-checked before or the speaker was already known to have made the claim. The match rate for fact-checking organizations increases with their affinity for checking claims made by public figures, since claims on television almost never come from an anonymous source online. This suggests that misinformation on public television does not amplify anonymous online misinformation but is relatively independent of it. The article concludes with directions for future research and recommendations for countering misinformation in public broadcasting television.