BBC News launches BBC Verify to combat disinformation and build trust

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BBC Verify will showcase the advanced editorial tools and techniques BBC news journalists are using to investigate, source and verify information, video, and images.

Pulling back the curtain

BBC Verify is a team of investigative journalists, a brand and also a physical area in the BBC newsroom in London, from which its experts will regularly appear across BBC News content, including on the BBC News website live pages, radio and the BBC News channel. The team will work across a range of stories, from breaking news to analysis and visual journalism all the way to original investigations.

BBC News CEO Deborah Turness says: “I’ve always said I want to ‘pull back the curtain’ on our journalism to show audiences the incredible hard work going on behind the scenes at BBC News to check and verify the information we share with our audiences. News consumers have told us that the more they know about the work our journalists do, the more they will know they can trust our journalism”.

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“BBC Verify is transparency in action – fact-checking, verifying video, countering disinformation, analysing data and explaining complex stories in the pursuit of truth. This is our promise to consumers - we understand that their trust must be earned and we will show them how we are doing that each and every day”.

The new brand will be seen on screen, including regular contributions on the BBC News channel and online in the coming weeks.

Experts

According to the BBC, they will have highly specialised team with a range of forensic and Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) capabilities that enable them to go beyond conventional newsroom techniques. The team will share the evidence of their work with their audiences.

The team consists of around 60 journalists and brings together the following existing teams: Data and Analysis, including analysis editor Ros Atkins and disinformation correspondent Marianna Spring; Reality Check; World Service Disinformation Team; Monitoring Disinformation Team; and the User Generated Content (UGC) team.

Lindsay McCoy will be the executive editor of BBC Verify. Lindsay is currently deputy editor of the One, Six, and Ten o’clock News, and will start her new role in the coming weeks.

Richard Burgess, director of News Content, says: “Lindsay is a widely respected, strong editorial leader and has played a big part in the success of the One, Six and 10 o’clock News. I’m delighted she’ll be at the helm of BBC Verify – helping to set the standard in transparent, and verified journalism people can trust.”