Inviting you to an exclusive Q&A with the editor of PolitiFact

I think it’s safe for me to assume that, as a supporter of Poynter, you value facts and truthful information. So please join me for an exclusive opportunity to meet directly with a leader of the largest political fact-checking news organization in the country: PolitiFact’s editor-in-chief Angie Drobnic Holan. Spend 30 minutes of your afternoon with Angie and me to get an insider’s look at how her team provides you with the information you need right now to cut through the misinformation on today’s biggest issues, including the pandemic, Black Lives Matter and elections. Plus you’ll have an opportunity to ask Angie your own questions.

Register to attend this 30-minute Zoom session on Tuesday, June 30 at 4 p.m. ET. Have a specific question for Angie? Email it to me now so it’ll be at the front of the line!

Helping older Americans figure out what’s real and what’s not online

It's difficult to know if that emotional social media post from your friend is based on accurate information — or if it's totally made up. Misinformation is a big problem, especially in an election year and during a health crisis. That's one of the reasons Poynter recently launched the expansion of our MediaWise program to serve older Americans, teaching the 50+ population to tell fact from fiction online. We’re thrilled to have two prominent journalists serve as Ambassadors to this program — former “Good Morning America” host Joan Lunden and CNN chief international anchor Christiane Amanpour — and partner with organizations like AARP. 

You can learn more about MediaWise for Seniors here (training to come!) and be sure to read more about it in this USA Today article.

Answering your questions about face mask mandates

(Diane Bondareff/AP Images for Tishman Speyer)

This week, the Florida county in which I live and work joined the numerous communities across the country that are requiring people to wear face masks in any indoor establishment. This mandate raises some important questions: Can the government or your employer force you to wear a mask? Do you have a constitutional right not to wear a mask? Read Al Tompkins’ recent exploration of this issue.

Adding context to claims of voter suppression in Kentucky

With the presidential election just four months away, concerns over voter suppression are growing, especially after last month’s chaotic primaries in Georgia and Wisconsin. Leading up to the Kentucky primary on Tuesday, public figures like film director Ava Duvernay and NBA superstar LeBron James posted on social media about how the county with the largest black population in the state had only one in-person polling location. 

PolitiFact’s Louis Jacobson found that it was true that the number of polling locations significantly decreased. He also found that mail-in ballots and early voting significantly increased due to the coronavirus. In fact, if the requested ballots are returned at a robust rate, the county and the state could produce a record turnout.

Due to the Fourth of July holiday, you won’t be receiving this newsletter next week. I’ll be back in your inbox on July 10, and I hope to see many of you during our Q&A on Tuesday. Have a wonderful holiday celebrating democracy!

Please consider making a contribution toward our mission today so we can continue to keep you informed tomorrow. If you recently made a donation to Poynter ... thank you!

Be well,


Josh Herrington
Development Director
[email protected]

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