You support Poynter. We support facts and the free press.
Last month, we launched this donor newsletter to give you an exclusive, behind-the-scenes peek at Poynter’s work in quality journalism. Now our world has changed due to COVID-19. Suddenly the work that we do at Poynter has shifted from being important to lifesaving. Poynter is at the forefront of providing you with the critical facts you need to stay healthy and navigate this unprecedented crisis.

The World Health Organization has called the spread of misinformation in the wake of the new coronavirus an “infodemic.” Poynter is working hard to fight against health misinformation around the world and deliver the news you trust.

Please consider making a contribution towards our mission today
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so we can continue to keep you informed tomorrow.

When it comes to your health, facts matter.

PolitiFact was mentioned multiple times during Sunday's Democratic debate. Due to the new coronavirus outbreak, former Vice President Joe Biden, left, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., bumped elbows instead of shaking hands. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

If you watched Sunday’s Democratic primary debate, perhaps you noticed that “PolitiFact” was referenced several times by candidate Joe Biden. We’re proud that our political leaders look to us for factual information — and we hope you do, too. You can read our fact-checking results from Sunday’s debate here
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Our PolitiFact team also created a guide
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with seven ways you can avoid falling for some of the most common falsehoods about epidemics like the coronavirus. Still have questions about COVID-19? Simply complete this form
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to submit your question to PolitiFact reporters and they'll answer them in a Q&A series.

So far, we've addressed reader questions about seasonality, immunity and transmission
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, as well as our government’s action on the virus
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More than 1,000 fact-checks have been published since January under the International Fact-Checking Network's new coronavirus alliance.

Since January, Poynter's International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) has been coordinating the #CoronaVirusFacts Alliance, a never-before-seen global collaboration with more than 100 fact-checkers in 45 countries producing content in 15 languages.

You can check out our database
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of more than 1,000 fact-checks here
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and meet IFCN’s associate director Cristina Tardáguila
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. She's the woman behind this global effort to combat the global coronavirus threat.

Part of that effort is to partner with Facebook
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to provide flash grants of up to $50,000 to fact-checking organizations so they can expand this important work.

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MediaWise's Teen Fact-Checking Network identifies and debunks misinformation on the social media platforms popular with young people. Here, MediaWise adds context to the claim that cash can transmit coronavirus.

As we know from our work with the International Fact-Checking Network, misinformation about the coronavirus is everywhere, including on platforms teens love like TikTok, Snapchat, WhatsApp and Instagram. The MediaWise Teen Fact-Checking Network has been hard at work this week teaching their followers how to fact-check social media posts, like these:

Can pets get coronavirus?

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Can coronavirus spread through money?

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Can weed cure coronavirus?

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Poynter still trains journalists virtually

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Screenshot from the video entitled "Al and Rev. Sidney Tompkins help journalists covering COVID-19 manage newsroom stress."

During this turbulent time, Al Tompkins, senior faculty member at Poynter, recognized that in order for journalists to provide you with accurate reporting on the COVID-19 threat, they need to practice self-care. So he and his wife, licensed psychotherapist Sidney Tompkins, produced this piece on how journalists can fight stress from covering the coronavirus

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The video in this report, just one of the many online resources Poynter has created for journalists covering COVID-19, prompted gratitude from journalists across the industry. We heard this from a top leader at The Gazette in Cedar Rapids, Iowa:

“I just wanted to drop a quick thank you note for the video you produced with your wife about taking care of ourselves during the coronavirus pandemic. It was extremely well done and very timely. I've shared it with our entire reporting team, and with a student editor at the University of Iowa Daily Iowan who asked what to tell her staff yesterday. This is uncharted territory and extremely fluid for leadership. Having you produce something like that to help keep everybody healthy was a great gift.”

New coronavirus, new ethics

Kelly McBride, senior vice president at Poynter and Chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership, had a busy week advising individual newsrooms across the country on issues that are posing ethical challenges to journalism and to citizens.

Questions that she covered included: When is it ethical to identify someone as infected?

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How can journalism sound the alarm without being over-the-top alarmists who heighten panic? How do journalists cover the story when their own safety is at risk? Is there implicit bias in coverage, particularly given the industry’s challenges on diversity?

This type of ethical consultation that Kelly leads throughout the year helps journalists deliver news that you can trust each day.

Meet a Poynter supporter: Ruth Barrens in St. Petersburg, Fla.

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How did you learn about Poynter?

I've known about Poynter for many years. It started with attending Tampa Bay Times Reading Festival sessions held on Poynter’s campus as well as reading Poynter’s e-newsletters.



How does Poynter's mission add value to your life?

I need media with integrity that furthers First Amendment press and speech rights. I need a strong, reliable, relatively unbiased source of information about my community, state, and world. Poynter works to ensure all of this.



Why do you support Poynter?

I started monetarily supporting Poynter because I want thorough, verified, investigative reporting to continue and flourish. I see so much evidence of biased information in broadcast and social media (with the exception of public TV and radio) as well as attacks on traditional media. Poynter is a leading national force to combat these trends.



Again, Poynter is on the front lines to deliver the news you trust. Please consider making a contribution

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towards our mission today so we can continue to keep you informed tomorrow.



Yes, I support Poynter!

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Thank you,



Josh Herrington

Development Director

Poynter Foundation Board Members:

Brian Tierney, CEO, Brian Communications

Michael Dreyer, President, Tampa Bay Trust Company

Frank “Sandy” Rief III, Attorney, Allen Dell, Attorneys at Law

Liz Sembler, Board Member, Corporation for Public Broadcasting

The Poynter Institute for Media Studies is a global leader in journalism education and a strategy center that stands for uncompromising excellence in journalism, media and 21st-century public discourse.

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