We’ve all seen the campaign messages, letters and pamphlets stuffed in our mailbox.
This election season, the Forest Park Review newspaper will be fact-checking claims made on all campaign fliers, those coming from prospective elected officials as well as from political groups. Our goal is to inform our readership, shed light on rumors or misinformation being spread, and spotlight the facts.
All campaign fliers submitted will be fact-checked.
We will fact-check pamphlets by referencing previous new articles, official government reports and by conducting first-hand interviews with those who are involved. The Review will always reach out to candidates for comment and include a deadline for a response.
In our review of a flier, we will also mention if an official has been inconsistent on an issue. Our intention is not to make a judgment on candidates who change their position on an issue, since some voters believe that flexibility, the ability to compromise or adapt a position based on new information or the wishes of their constituents is often a good thing. We just want our readership to be informed.
If possible, we will also include a list of links or other sites at the end of each posting, so readers can see our sources for themselves. The goal is to help readers reflect on what materials are being passed around and judge for themselves whether a statement is rooted in fact.
Our review will be available for all citizens to read at our website, forestparkreview.com. Our findings will also be posted on our Facebook page and Twitter.
So in this next cycle, when a leafletted treasure arrives at your door, please take a second to share it with the Review, good or bad, sincere or deceitful.
Please email fliers to Nona Tepper at ntepper@wjinc.com or Jill Wagner circulation@wjinc.com.
