Why are facts important in content creation?
Content creation, if done right can change lives, of both the creator and the recipient.
The world finds itself in a space where a well thought out concept and requisite execution can change a person`s life. Such is the liberation effect of the internet.
However, the beauty of the internet and the width it allows content creators, like a roses are to thorns, there are ills that emerge which may be questionable ethically, but not illegal.
Online content creators thrive on numbers, with some revenue models being anchored on traffic. This has given rise to click bait and sensationalism, which sometimes comes at the expense of facts.
Such a reality, also saw the birth of a new pandemic, misinformation through fake news, distorted facts as well as exaggerations.
With a risk of people forming opinions on information created in pursuit of high figures, a group of journalists saw it fit to organize and test the credibility of major news stories to sift through submissions from content creators.
We spoke to the country`s sole fact checking platform, ZimFact, through their Researcher Ranga Mberi who explained the importance of fact checking in content creation.
He said the way that a platform treats facts, communicates their goals and how they want to position themselves in the market.
“It is tempting to use misinformation to build audiences, but sustaining it is another thing. COVID-19, for example, showed us that, when it comes down to it, audiences flock to sources that can be trusted to give accurate information.” Mberi said.
Since 2018, ZimFact has been checking news pieces by different platforms and in their line of work, they have earned plaudits and scorn in equal measure.
However, they believe that there is need for people to have a platform on which they can seek to clarify on issues they may be finding contentious and hard to believe at first interaction.
The existence of the platform, which has been accepted by audiences, faced relative ‘push-back’ from within the industry itself, a challenge they have been actively trying to solve.
Some content creators were not used to scrutiny and became apprehensive, but time has withered most of the pride and suspicion which underpins their position on
“Facts are, after all, a key tenet of journalism itself. And so, as ZimFact, we actually work with media, including providing training at all levels,” said Mberi.
Although intepretations of facts may vary, the information which forms the core of narratives should remain true and veritable.
There are steps that content creators can take to test the information they gather, to see if it is fit for publishing and subsequent public consumtion.
“There are steps that everyone, content creators included, should consider before sharing. Firstly, is the source credible? Second, are there any other supporting sources to verify the information? Who else is saying it? Thirdly, especially if it’s a technical matter, ask the experts. Not just talking-heads or celebrities, but proven experts in the field.
It’s also important to check your own biases; sometimes we share things just because they confirm what we already believe to be true. Always verify before sharing,” said Mberi.
He believes that the polarization in the country also affects the quality of content, as there are two stark opposites which characterizes the country`s communication spectrum is affecting content negatively, for both the producer and the consumer.
Content creation takes many forms but by virtue of most of the variations involving sharing information to a broader audience, they are sometimes classified among journalistic media.
However, debate is still out on whether or not satirists and people behind humour skits should also be subjected to strict fact-checking as they do their job.
Mberi acknowledges that the topic is still a professional grey area.
“It is a question we have seen fact checkers battling with. For example, posts by satirical websites such as Babylon Bee have at times been flagged as fake news, only for these warnings to be removed later.
However, best practices is that if it is a satirical website, then it must, ethically, be labelled as such. Sadly, not everyone can always tell the difference. However, it is hard to apply the same model for, as an example, actors doing a satirical sketch. The most we can hope for is that content created is not harmful,” he said.
Zimbabwe`s content creators are increasing in numbers as more people realise they can earn a living through aligning their talents with prevailing conversations, discourses.
In doing so, some issues are emerging like misinformation.
However, -unless when a platform is doing satire- being thin on facts can erode credibility, which in turn betrays the essence of content creation which is coming in as a viable alternative to the agenda-led traditional or legacy media.
Facts are, in most cases, the heart of content creation.
The birth of vehicles like Content Creators Network, allows for peer review and self regulation, where content creators sit down to talk and reflect, crafting what they consider to be best practices.