Joe Schaffer at Liberty Nation pointed out one way you can tell that the “fact checkers” are outside the mainstream is who they choose to honor. On November 18, the Poynter Institute, the bosses of PolitiFact, threw a “Bowtie Ball” honoring CNN host Anderson Cooper.
“The Poynter Institute’s annual Bowtie Ball showcases the most dazzling and lively personalities in journalism as we gather in Tampa Bay for one electric celebration,” Poynter gushed on its website. “Anderson Cooper will receive the 2023 Poynter Medal for Lifetime Achievement in Journalism during the fundraising gala this year….Cooper is one of the most influential, trusted and dynamic broadcast journalists working today.”
“Anderson Cooper’s fearless reporting, whether from war zones or the political arena, has earned him a reputation as one of the most respected journalists of our time,” said Poynter President Neil Brown. “His humanity, humility and humor make him the rare journalist who can connect with millions of people around the world on a deeply personal level and earn their trust. We at Poynter are honored to celebrate his achievements.”
You can tell they love him, because Cooper doesn’t even have a page at PolitiFact -- zero fact checks of his "fearless" work. Meanwhile, his former 8 pm competition Tucker Carlson has 28 “fact checks” from the Poynter pugilists, and 26 of the 28 (or 93 percent) are “Mostly False,” “False,” or “Pants On Fire.” Just meeting Cooper is presented as a great reason to fund the "independent fact-checkers."
You’ll enjoy mingling with media heavyweights and hearing first-hand accounts of journalistic achievements during an elegant cocktail reception in the heart of Tampa’s bustling downtown. Sponsors and VIP ticket holders will enjoy a private reception with Cooper.
Our event will culminate with an insightful on-stage interview with Anderson Cooper.
In 2022, Google and YouTube gave $13.2 million to Poynter’s International Fact-Checking Network to help fight global “misinformation.”
As for the Poynter lifetime achievement awards, you can tell just how married they are to the liberal elites:
"Each year, Poynter presents the lifetime achievement award to an accomplished journalist whose career has made a significant impact on democracy and its institutions. Cooper will join an esteemed roster of Poynter Medal recipients," like Woodward & Bernstein, Katie Couric, and Lester "Fairness Is Overrated" Holt:
Shortly after his award, Holt became an "ambassador" for Poynter's Google-funded "MediaWise" initiative to teach children "media literacy," which is code for the Left's attempts to instill their narratives as "the facts" and conservative arguments as "misinformation. As with Cooper, Poynter touted Holt as a great journalist:
"Lester Holt is the most trusted man in the news business and exactly the type of person we want as a champion for our cause," said Katy Byron, MediaWise editor and program manager at Poynter. "His reporting has always been neutral, reliable and accurate."
We energetically disagree.
