The Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s (ABC) Fact Check Team has received a Business of Higher Education Round Table (BHERT) Award recognising its work in partnership with Victoria’s Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) University.
Director for RMIT ABC Fact Check, Russell Skelton ( pictured with Awards Manager for BHERT, Laura Williams) said that in an era of fake news, misinformation and disinformation, the team investigated the accuracy of claims made by Members of Parliament, prominent individuals and lobby groups.
“Since RMIT and ABC joined forces two years ago the team has produced more than 110 fact checks,” Mr Skelton said.
“Going beyond the daily news cycle, the team combines national and academic scholarship and quality journalism to deliver verdicts across multiple ABC platforms to help inform public policy and debate.”
He said Fact Check strove to combine excellence in journalism with the very best of academic scholarship to better inform the public on contentious public policy issues.
“It is extremely gratifying to have that recognised,” Mr Skelton said.
“I would also like to acknowledge the extraordinary level of support and encouragement Fact Check has received from RMIT University and the ABC.
“The partnership has allowed Fact Check to deliver quality research to a national audience across multiple media platforms, including online and on TV,” he said.
