The Society of Professional Journalists Code of Ethics requires journalists to seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently, and be accountable and transparent. While seeking truth, young journalists must remember the importance of verification and ensuring accuracy before sharing information. The process of fact-checking is important to all facets of the media, including television news.

Jamie Greber teaches advanced broadcast reporting in the radio-television journalism areas at the University of Missouri and is the managing editor at KOMU-TV. As a former investigative reporter, Greber teaches watchdog, data and consumer-interest reporting techniques. Greber said the act of verifying facts is integral to the success and accuracy of the news.

“Our journalists, particularly student journalists, are trained in our classrooms to trust, but verify,” Greber said.

Greber asks her students to call all sources involved in a story and independently confirm the facts they are given. She also suggests reporters take it one step further by calling every single person, business or organization being named in the story.

“That way no one is surprised, you check with all potential sources and potentially could get a better story by doing so,” she said.

Greber said it is important to be extremely careful with attribution of facts, especially in stories where some sources are apprehensive about talking.

“Just because someone doesn’t want to talk about something or won’t confirm something doesn’t mean you drop the story,” Greber said. “Oftentimes, officials wish we pesky journalists would do just that, but sometimes ‘no comment’ is the comment.”

With the rise of the digital age of journalism, many journalists have argued that this has improved the fact-checking process. Greber agrees.

“For me, being able to cross-check that people are who they say they are and are telling the truth is invaluable,” she said. “A quick check of basic facts can help point out a person who’s telling half truths.”

Greber said digital journalism has also allowed reporters in the newsroom to file and receive public record requests faster and easier. While the Internet is helpful in fact-checking, she said it is important to use trusted sites and online tools in reporting.

“Always cite your sources, both because you need to give credit and be transparent with viewers and readers,” Greber said.