PolitiFact fact-checks politicians' claims where they make them — on Medium

PolitiFact, the Pulitzer Prize-winning fact-checking division of the Tampa Bay Times (St. Petersburg, Fla.), will sort through political posts on the publishing platform Medium to bring voters the truth.

The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation is investing $140,000 to add PolitiFact's truth-sorting context to Medium, the platform politicians are using to deliver their messages directly to voters. During the hotly contested 2016 presidential campaigns, candidates Jeb Bush, Hillary Clinton and Marco Rubio are among the candidates who have used Medium.

"Typically, a candidate says something that ends up broadcast on TV or radio, or published in a print or online publication. Fact-checkers then analyze that claim and post their findings in a separate print or online space. With Medium, we can do one better," said PolitiFact Executive Director Aaron Sharockman. "Medium's platform offers PolitiFact a new and unique opportunity – to fact-check politicians in the same space where they make their claims."

PolitiFact journalists will analyze the claims posted on Medium's platform and post its findings both on PolitiFact and medium.com. The work also will be promoted through social networks and made available to other journalism and nonpartisan organizations, including newspapers and TV stations across the country.