Fact Checker
Truthout is seeking a full-time fact checker to work with a number of news and opinion pieces each day, including both quick-turnaround and long-form stories. Some editing may also be involved in this job, depending on experience.
You:
You’re an energetic and focused fact checker and editor who is passionate about progressive politics and avidly follows breaking news. You enjoy fast-paced tasks and have interest in and some familiarity with a wide range of topics including national politics, activist movements in the U.S., judicial processes, U.S. foreign policy, and more. You are deeply devoted to the values of racial, economic, social, environmental and disability justice, as well as intersectional feminism, anti-imperialism, prison abolition and anti-colonialism. You’re interested in increasing the reach of independent, nonprofit news in an increasingly corporate media landscape, and you’re ready to use your skills to further Truthout’s mission.
Us:
Truthout is a nonprofit news organization dedicated to providing independent reporting and commentary on a diverse range of social justice issues. Since our founding in 2000, we have anchored our work in principles of accuracy, transparency, and independence from the influence of corporate and partisan forces.
Truthout is committed to a vision of journalism in pursuit of justice. We understand that courageous journalism can and does drive social transformation. Through our work, we reveal systemic injustice; provide a platform for powerful ideas; elevate authentic storytelling; and develop journalistic practices that align with our dedication to accountability, equity and integrity. We believe in building the world we want to live in within our organization, through our journalistic work, and through our work’s impact on society.
The Role:
As Truthout’s Fact-Checker, you will shoulder a core responsibility that is central to our publication’s integrity and functioning. You will promptly check headlines and captions for accuracy throughout the day as articles are previewed pre-publication, in addition to fact-checking the text of articles being prepared for later publication. Every day, you will fact-check a range of pieces, including investigative articles by reporters, op-eds written by activists, articles that draw on academic knowledge and theory, and more. You will be engaged in fact-checking rapidly produced breaking news analysis and opinion pieces written by our staff writers and also slower-turnaround articles by staff reporters and freelance authors. It’s your job to rapidly zero in on which sorts of assertions within each article need more exhaustive fact-checking and to constantly strive for more thoroughness without sacrificing efficiency. The task of fact-checking involves double-checking everything from the names and titles of sources who are quoted, to checking whether quotes from published materials or videos are presented accurately, to checking whether statistical studies and surveys mentioned are being accurately represented, to confirming the accuracy of historical information and dates the are discussed, to raising bigger-picture concerns about whether the overall conclusion of an article appears not to be supported by the arguments or evidence offered within it.
This is a fast-paced job that involves multitasking and being flexible about prioritization and changing focus. You will often need to partially fact-check a less time-sensitive piece and then set it aside momentarily in order to attend to a breaking news story, and then return to finish the less time-sensitive piece afterward. As a result, even as you focus deeply on the fact-checking task before you, you will also need to remain responsive to communications from coworkers on Slack regarding the collaborative workflow and prioritization changes. At times, you may also be asked to evaluate or edit submissions, lay out articles for publication on Truthout’s website, or take on other miscellaneous editorial duties.
Requirements:
- Dependable, deadline-driven and punctual;
- Excellent fact-checking and editing skills;
- Ability to work with quick-turnaround material on a regular schedule;
- Professional fact-checking experience (this can include internships);
- Some flexibility to work a night or weekend day (for an election or other major event) once in awhile, with comp time or overtime pay;
- Enthusiastic and passionate about Truthout’s work;
- Interested in a wide range of topics including electoral politics, activist movements in the U.S., judicial and legislative processes, and U.S. foreign policy;
- Deep understanding of issues and language related to racial justice, gender justice, economic justice and disability justice;
- Ability to thrive in collaborative spaces;
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with a very high level of detail;
- Able to adapt to changing priorities and multi-task, balancing focus on fact-checking with the need to be quickly responsive on Slack throughout the day;
- Experience working with shared Google documents and spreadsheets;
- Able to communicate in a friendly, thoughtful and effective manner via Slack, phone, Zoom and email;
- Have reliable access to the internet during specified work hours.
Preferred:
- Basic knowledge of WordPress
- Developmental editing experience
This is an entry-level position with a salary of $45,000. Benefits include health care, generous PTO and holidays, unlimited sick days, parental leave, sabbatical, 401(k) match, 529 match, student loan match, and cell phone and internet stipend. It is a union position with the NewsGuild.
This is a fully remote, work-from-home position, and applicants are welcome from anywhere in the United States, though they must be able to work an EST schedule.
BIPOC, women, disabled, queer, trans, nonbinary and gender-nonconforming people are encouraged to apply.