"Fact-checking journalism challenges procedural norms of objectivity by providing truth verdicts. By actively evaluating statements and online rumors based on evidence weight, fact-checkers aim for robust, scientific objectivity. Despite this trend, there is a lack of studies analyzing evidence type ... s used in verification articles, a gap which this article seeks to address. This comparative research examines types of valid evidence—documentation, digital forensic tools, and statements—employed by fact-checkers across 12 organizations in the UK, Germany, Portugal, and Spain (n=1976). Results are interpreted using media systems and digital indicators. Notably, Spain, with high political polarization and social media use for news, heavily utilizes digital forensic elements. Germany and the UK, known for high journalistic professionalism and low epistemic vulnerability, predominantly feature ‘all-inclusive’ evidence combining documents, statements, and forensics. Public service broadcasters exhibit the highest levels of verification complexity (hard fact-checking), contrasting with global news agencies, which generally favor softer fact-checking approaches, except for DPA." (Abstract) more

"The emergence of alternative media is linked to the progressive social movements of the 1960s and 1970s, which aimed to democratize media production and amplify marginalized voices. Recently, regressive news sites have emerged, claiming to be “alternative” despite their far-right ideologies. As ... a result, some independent “digital natives” in Latin America reject the “alternative” label. In disinformation studies, scholars often use the term ‘alternative’ to describe media outlets that oppose mainstream institutions without critically addressing power dynamics. Critical media scholars argue that labeling the far right as a counter-public under the ‘alternative’ banner risks equating undemocratic groups with those advocating for democracy. The global right-wing movement is more accurately characterized as “defensive” publics due to its alignment with systemic inequalities. We contend that the right wing’s alignment with systemic inequalities, coupled with its tenuous relationship with truth, distinguishes it from progressive alternative publics. While independent digital-native media often incorporate fact-checking units to combat disinformation, right-wing outlets are significant sources of falsehoods. These outlets exploit democratic rhetoric and distort constructivist views of facts to advance anti-democratic agendas. To illustrate this tactic, the article examines the mission statements of regressive ‘alternative’ media identified by factcheckers in 2022 across eight countries in Europe and Latin America: Germany, theUK, Portugal, Spain, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and Venezuela. By analyzing these regressive outlets’ mission statements, we uncover their illiberal discursive strategies and how they co-opt democratic rhetoric to advance exclusionary goals." (Abstract) more

"Falsehoods targeting political parties and candidates have long been entrenched in Brazilian politics and monitored by the Superior Electoral Court (TSE). Since the rise of the far right in Brazil, the TSE has itself become a disinformation target. This study aims to unveil disinformation that has ... been directed at the Brazilian electoral system since 2018 and explore the court’s responses. First, we quantitatively analyzed 420 verification articles from the TSE’s Fato ou Boato website to identify the falsehoods’ origins, targets, narratives, and deceptive strategies. Second, we conducted expert interviews and qualitatively examined official documents to explore counteraction strategies, particularly collaborations with fact-checkers. The findings indicate that disinformation primarily revolves around the alleged vulnerability of the electronic voting system (25%) and supposed illegal actions that have been committed by the TSE (15%). Supreme Federal Court ministers, notably Luís Barroso and Alexandre de Moraes, have become frequent targets. Assaults on the TSE surged from 15% (2018) to 27% (2022). Strengthened collaboration with fact-checkers enhances their societal recognition and significance in the Brazilian public sphere." (Abstract) more

"This study observes content-related indicators of the editorial decisions made by factcheckers during the 2022 Brazilian run-off election. Specifically, it aims to investigate factcheckers’ outputs regarding verification genres, scrutinized actors, types of verified falsehoods, and inspected plat ... forms. The focus on Brazil stems from its reputation as a disinformation hub, owing to social polarization, populist communication, high social media use, low media trust, and intense WhatsApp penetration. Consequently, factchecking agencies have proliferated within Brazil’s media landscape. To provide some hints about the fact-checkers’ editorial choices, we conducted a quantitative content analysis of verification articles (n = 349) published during the second round of the presidential election by four leading fact-checking organizations: Lupa and Aos Fatos (independents), Estadão Verifica (press), and AFP Checamos (global news agency). The results reveal a prioritization of combating online falsehoods (82.2%) spread by anonymous sources, as opposed to verifying public figures’ statements (5.5%), a trend already observed in other media systems. Although Meta’s social networks and Twitter are primarily monitored, other platforms such as TikTok, Kwai, and Telegram are increasingly gaining fact-checkers’ attention. Fact-checkers predominantly scrutinized anonymous disinformation agents. Moreover, they primarily debunked falsehoods targeting the opposition, legacy media, social networking companies, and the Supreme Electoral Court. Despite the anonymity, 77.4% of the verified falsehoods were found to be beneficial to Bolsonaro, while 12% were advantageous to Lula da Silva." (Abstract) more

"This paper analyses the predominance of the ‘negativity’ factor as the primary determinant of news coverage in the German press – Süddeutsche Zeitung, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Die Tageszeitung and Der Spiegel – of events in Latin America. Based on a sample of 3831 articles published ... between January 2000 and December 2014, this study finds a general concentration of negative events (43.05%) with regard to 20 Latin American countries. However, since this number does not exceed 50%, the research assumption of a conflict-oriented news reporting has to be relativised. The ‘negativity’ rate stands out as sectorial depending on specific countries and areas of news coverage. Considerable interest in cultural issues helps to provide a more balanced image. While Honduras, Haiti, Ecuador, the Dominican Republic and Paraguay exhibit a strong negative balance, Costa Rica, Uruguay, Chile and Cuba boast a dynamic, positive image. Brazil and Mexico account for two ambivalent cases." (Abstract) more

"Die Studie basiert auf 21.929 Beiträgen, von denen mithilfe einer geschichteten Stichprobe 4.164 in die Analyse einbezogen, ausgewertet und mit Korrespondenten-Interviews kombiniert wurden. Sie beleuchtet die Auswahlkriterien und Mechanismen der Berichterstattung zu Lateinamerika und füllte eine ... Forschungslücke zu einem Thema, das außenpolitisch extrem relevant ist. Das Buch betrachtet Themen und Merkmale des Mediendiskurses in kombinierter Form, stellt Länderprofile dar und sucht nach theoretischen Erklärungen für die Bildkonstruktionen. Die Studie kommt zum Ergebnis, dass es das Lateinamerikabild in der deutschen Presse nicht gibt, sondern sich eine Perzeption nach Ländern und Landesgruppen ausdifferenziert lässt." (Verlagsbeschreibung) more

"Die Fußballweltmeisterschaft in Brasilien hat das Land wieder verstärkt in den Fokus auch der deutschen Presseberichterstattung gerückt. Regina Cazzamatta analysiert das Image Brasiliens in de ... n deutschen Medien. Über welche Themen und Akteure wird am häufigsten berichtet? Entspricht die Darstellung der Realität? Folgt sie allgemeinen Trends der Auslandsberichterstattung; können beispielsweise Politik- und Elitenzentrierung oder ethnozentristische Tendenzen ausgemacht werden? Diese und weitere Fragen klärt die Autorin mit Hilfe einer quantitativen und qualitativen Inhaltsanalyse sowie anhand konkreter Beispiele für die am häufigsten behandelten Themen." (Verlagsbeschreibung) more