The Truth in Journalism Project is a journalist-led initiative focused on the nature and methodology of fact-based journalism. We educate students and professionals in editorial fact-checking, and we encourage public discussion about the notions of accuracy and objectivity in reporting. Our principal activity is the creation of the Truth in Journalism Fact-Checking Guide, which articulates new guidelines for editorial fact-checking that are rigorous, inclusive, and informed by interdisciplinary expertise.
Hosted by the Future of Journalism Initiative at Carleton University's School of Journalism and Communication, the Truth in Journalism Project is led by Allison Baker and Viviane Fairbank. The creation of the Truth in Journalism Fact-Checking Guide is supported by an Advisory Committee made up of journalists, academics, and stakeholder community members.
Allison Baker is the head of research at The Walrus, a national magazine in Canada. She has fact-checked and copy-edited for a variety of publications across North America, and from 2016 to 2024 she was the producer of Mi’kmaq Matters, a podcast about the Mi’kmaw people, politics, land, and water of Ktaqmkuk (Newfoundland).
Viviane Fairbank is an editor and fact-checker who served as the head of research at The Walrus from 2017 to 2019. She has spoken on several panels about the importance of editorial fact-checking and has guest-lectured about fact-checking, ethics, and longform writing to journalism students at several Canadian universities.
Truth in Journalism: How Should Journalists Think about Accuracy? was a hybrid conference that brought together experts, journalists, and students to foster discussion about editorial fact-checking and address some of the biggest challenges facing the industry: Is there such a thing as objectivity? Which sources should a journalist consider reputable or “expert”? How can journalists better incorporate trauma-informed practices in our reporting and fact-checking processes?