#8 Misinformation and Fact-Checking

     60 Minutes Misinformation

    Misinformation happens all the time and wreaks havoc in news, entertainment, sports, and specifically in politics. Misinformation is false, inaccurate, or misleading information that is communicated regardless of an intention to deceive (Misinformation Wiki). Misinformation allows people to make up blatant lies or deceive people for mayhem. Sometimes misinformation is not intentional and just a misunderstanding but most times it starts the spread of "fake news". We have seen misinformation spreading a lot lately especially when dealing with coronavirus and vaccines. Fact-checking is essential when it comes to misinformation. Fact-checking claims have been made when dealing with vaccine misinformation. Let's talk about misinformation that actually came from a TV news program. You would think since it broadcast live on TV that the information they spread would hold some truth because it can be debunked at any time. 

    We know from TV not to believe anything so easily. It is always best to seek truth from your own understanding. 60 Minutes face backlash for spreading misinformation about Florida's governor Ron DeSantis. 60 Minutes is  an American television news magazine broadcast on the CBS television network. Debuting in 1968, the program was created by Don Hewitt and Bill Leonard, who chose to set it apart from other news programs by using a unique style of reporter-centered investigation (60 Minutes Wiki). It has been on air for 53 seasons and with that being said, the news program should know their faults when they prove to be wrong. Earlier this week, 60 Minutes dropped a bombshell: Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, had granted Publix a vaccination contract as a kickback for a $100,000 campaign donation, according to a report by journalist Sharyn Alfonsi. Then the story swiftly fell apart. Publix was neither the first nor the only vaccine distributor in Florida; the idea to use a grocery chain with more than 800 locations across the state was a good one, and did not originate with the governor; moreover, DeSantis explained all of this to Alfonsi, but his quotes were edited in a misleading way for the version that appeared in the 60 Minutes segment. 

    This story should be a source of deep embarrassment for the network: Alfonsi made incendiary claims that she utterly failed to prove, and the report actively concealed from viewers the more plausible explanation offered by countless government leaders involved in the decision, including DeSantis himself. Florida's director of emergency management, as well as the mayor of Palm Beach County—both of them Democrats—have subsequently released statements blasting CBS's distortions (https://reason.com/2021/04/07/60-minutes-cbs-media-bias-desantis-publix/). 

    60 Minutes encountered criticism from both Democrats and Republicans with misleading information regarding the Florida governor giving only the vaccine to a small portion of Florida. As the backlash continued on Monday, Palm Beach County Mayor Dave Kerner, a Democrat, accused CBS' "60 Minutes" of "intentionally false" reporting. "The reporting was not just based on bad information – it was intentionally false," Kerner said in a scathing statement on Monday. "I know this because I offered to provide my insight into Palm Beach County's vaccination efforts and '60 Minutes' declined. They know that the governor came to Palm Beach County and met with me and the county administrator and we asked to expand the state's partnership with Publix to Palm Beach County… ‘60 Minutes' should be ashamed" (https://www.foxnews.com/media/60-minutes-desantis-pressure-mounts-cbs-clearly-made-mistakes). The thing about misinformation is that it fuels a lot of false narrative that could be very harmful to people. It is always important to debunk misinformation as soon as you notice it is "fake news". The minute you let "fake news" become real, it would be pretty difficult to prove its originality. Overall, misinformation opens doors to deceit and spreads lies to incite buzz whether it is done on purpose or not.