Organization: El Detector / Univision Noticias
Applicant: Carlos Chirinos
Assessor: Ramón Salaverría
Background
Launched in March 2016, El Detector is a fact-checking unit of Univision News, a media corporation targeting U.S. Hispanic population. It is applying to be IFCN signatory for the first time.
Assessment Conclusion
According to the evidences, we recommend the acceptance of the application of El Detector. All the requirements are fully complied by the applicant, although some minor improvements are suggested for criteria 6.1 and 6.2: to expand the diversity of contact forms allowed to receive correction requests, and indicating the maximum time that the correction might take to be checked and published.
Ramón Salaverría assesses application as Compliant
A short summary in native publishing language
Lanzada en marzo de 2016, El Detector es una unidad de verificación de Univision News, corporación de medios dirigida a la población hispana de EE.UU. Solicita ser signatario de IFCN por primera vez.
Section 1: Eligibility to be a signatory
To be eligible to be a signatory, applicants must meet these six criteria
- 1.1 The applicant is a legally registered organization, or a distinct team or unit within a legally registered organization, and details of this are easily found on its website.
- 1.2 The team, unit or organization is set up exclusively for the purpose of fact-checking.
- 1.3 The applicant has published an average of at least one fact check a week over the course of the six months prior to the date of application. For applicants from countries with at least 5 or more verified signatories need to have at least a fact check a week over the twelve months of publishing track. Consult to factchecknet@poynter.org for confirmation.
- 1.4 On average, at least 75% of the applicant’s fact checks focus on claims related to issues that, in the view of the IFCN, relate to or could have an impact on the welfare or well-being of individuals, the general public or society.
- 1.5 The applicant’s editorial output is not, in the view of the IFCN, controlled by the state, a political party or politician.
- 1.6 If the organization receives funding from local or foreign state or political sources, it provides a statement on its site setting out to the satisfaction of the IFCN, how it ensures its funders do not influence the findings of its reports.
Criteria 1.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please explain where on your website you set out information about your organization’s legal status and how this complies with criteria. Attach a link to the relevant page of your website.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago)
El Detector is Univision's fact-checking platform and the first Spanish-language fact-checking platform in the U.S. Univision is the leading media company in the U.S. and has been the No.1 source of news and information for Hispanics for over 24 consecutive years.
Our home page has two tabs: tab 1: "That’s how we do it" (Así lo hacemos), located at the top of the page, and tab 2 on the right hand bottom of the page, in a highlighted button. A click on the tabs opens a page that states the following: "El Detector is the first Spanish-language fact-checking platform in the U.S. It was launched in March 2016 under the name of 'The Lie Detector', to fulfill the journalistic mission of seeking the truth and debunking misinformation and disinformation in the United States and Latin America. El Detector is part of Univision’s news division. We then have a link to an “About Univision” page that has all the history regarding the media company.
That last sentence links to our corporate page, which contains the entire history of the company, its portfolio, directory, governance and all additional details about Univision.
https://corporate.univision.com/timeline/
There users can also find all the details about the company’s legal status and its finances through its quarterly financial reports.
https://investors.univision.net/investor-news/default.aspx
Annex to the document:
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago)
The applicant is a unit within a large media organization. More specifically, El Detector is the fact-checking platform of Univision, a well-established U.S. media company targeted to Hispanics. As requested, El Detector has presented evidence of its ties to a legally registred company.
done_all 1.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 1.2
Proof you meet criteria
Please answer the following questions – (see notes in Guidelines for Application on how to answer)
1. When and why was your fact-checking operation started?
2. How many people work or volunteer in the organization and what are their roles?
3. What different activities does your organization carry out?
4. What are the goals of your fact-checking operation over the coming year?
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
1. When and why was your fact-checking operation started?
El Detector launched in 2016 as the first Spanish-language fact-checking platform in the U.S. El Detector was launched to provide fact-checking in this country to Hispanic audiences, with a focus on the issues that are central to the Latino population. Until then, there was no access to fact-checking in Spanish.
2. How many people work or volunteer in the organization and what are their roles?
El Detector is made up of a team that has editors and reporters - now working remotely due to the pandemic. The team is composed of members of the Univision News staff and freelancers, under the coordination of Senior investigative Journalist Tamoa Calzadilla. It has a text editor, a video coordinator and five fact-checkers. We hire videographers, animators and infographers for specific projects as necessary.
For the Factcheck.org partnership, we also had a translator in our team, and we are currently expanding.
Our fact-checkers are not affiliated with any political party and are governed by journalistic and ethical principles, as well as the International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) code of principles.
El Detector received financial support from WhatsApp for its relaunch in 2020. The Factcheck.org partnership and funding was coordinated by the Poynter Institute’s International Fact-Checking Network. It was also part of the FactChat project, which brought together 12 data-checking platforms in the United States.
3. What different activities does your organization carry out?
We verify public discourse and the discussions that become viral on social networks, debunking misinformation and working to explain everything that we consider to be relevant to Hispanic’s decision-making process.
During the pandemic we have focused mainly on issues that distort the facts about coronavirus and vaccines and how they affect the Hispanic community. Our main focus is to serve US Hispanics, but also serve Latin America. In addition, we check images (photos or videos) that are relevant to understand current affairs and what is happening in the US and the world.
In the midst of the coronavirus emergency, we received two grants: one from the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI) and one from the Google News Initiative to expand our fact-checking about vaccines and covid-19.
We also have an agreement and an increasingly robust partnership with Factcheck.org to amplify our message to a bilingual audience, through multimedia pieces that have the support of Univision’s audiovisual unparalleled reach and impact.
4. What are the goals of your fact-checking operation over the coming year?
Our main goal this year is to fight the COVID-19 and vaccines mis/disinformation that harms the Latino community. Today more than ever, we believe that our work in debunking myths and falsehoods about immunization, wearing masks and other protective measures is critical to saving lives.
We also have a focus on public policies that impact US Hispanics, including immigration, health and politics. We will focus on multimedia pieces: video and infographics to improve audience engagement, especially on mobile devices. Our expansion is also focused on one of Univision’s main strengths, which is TV and its slate of news programming, especially on the Digital Edition of its daily newscast, the most watched noon newscast in the US by US Hispanics. There, we have a specific segment titled: "The Detector in times of coronavirus".
This year we also want to fully integrate our project with WhatsApp to make our content available to our audience on the messaging app they use most and help fight misinformation on what of the platforms that it is disseminated most. We plan to receive questions from our audience about mis/disinformation and allow them to ask and receive answers on their phones.
WhatsApp is awaiting for our IFCN certification as IFCN to launch the project with el Detector.
We also want to launch a podcast and radio segment on Univision Radio, a radio network with major reach in the US.
IFCN’s certification would also allow us to find the necessary funding to bring El Detector to local communities. Univision owns and/or operates 61 television stations in major Hispanic markets in the US. It also has over 58 radio stations, and a robust presence in digital audio (Podcast).
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
As requested, El Detector has presented evidence of:
1. The year (2016) when this news organization was set up.
2. The identity, background and roles of the journalists (8) who work directly in the organization. The team is composed of a general editor, a text editor, a video coordinator and five fact-checkers. When necessary, this core team of El Detector is aided by the Univision News staff and freelancers
3. The activities carried out by El Detector have been adequately explained, as well as its collaboration with Factcheck.org to amplify the reach to both Spanish- and English-speaking audience,
4. The goals of El Detector over the coming year, which comprise keep fighting against the COVID-19 and vaccines mis/disinformation, a full integration with WhatsApp
done_all 1.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 1.3
Proof you meet criteria
- The applicant has published an average of at least one fact check a week over the course of the six months prior to the date of application.
- For applicants from countries with at least 5 or more verified signatories need to have at least a fact check a week over the twelve months of publishing track.
- Consult to factchecknet@poynter.org for confirmation.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector would be the first IFCN-certified Spanish-language fact-checking platform in the US. Univision serves over 60 million Hispanics living in the US and abroad, for whom this content is essential. Univision News currently reaches over 90 percent of Latino households in the US and continues to expand its reach with the new merger with Televisa, with the potential of reaching 600 million Spanish-language speakers around the world.
El Detector has posted two to three fact-checks per week during the last six months. We are submitting 61 fact checks for your consideration, instead of the required 26.
Here is our sample of the work in the last 6 months:
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector has presented a sample of fact-checks (61) performed over the six months prior to the date of application (Sep 2020 - April 2021). The fact-checks actually published were more, totalling an average of nearly 3 fact-checks per week. Within the period assessed, there were no weeks without at least one fact-check published.
done_all 1.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 1.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous three months. No additional information required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
After a random review of the sample of 61 fact-checks provided by the applicant, as well as some others selected by the assessor himself, evidence has been found tah it has been confirmed that more than 75% of El Detector’s fact-checks focus on claims related to issues that relate to or could have an impact on the welfare or well-being of individuals, the general public or society in U.S., mostly in the Hispanic community. Although most of fact-checks focus on politics and health-related issues, this is something totally understandable considering the main news over the period assessed. All in all, there is a reasonable diversity in the topics covered by the applicant.
done_all 1.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 1.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please explain any commercial, financial and/or institutional relationship your organization has to the state, politicians or political parties in the country or countries you cover. Also explain funding or support received from foreign as well as local state or political actors over the previous financial year.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector does not receive funding from the federal government or any state entity in the US, or the government of any other country.
As a Univision News project, our verification unit benefits from our media company’s business model, which allows the total editorial independence of our news division.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
According to the information provided by the applicant, El Detector does not receive funding from the U.S. government, or the government of any other country. The funding of this unit comes from its parent media company, Univision News.
done_all 1.5 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 1.6
Proof you meet criteria
If you confirmed the organization receives funding from local or foreign state or political sources, provide a link to where on your website you set out how you ensure the editorial independence of your work.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
We do not receive funding, but we still would like to explain how we maintain editorial independence in general. In the section 'How we do it' (“Así lo hacemos”) we include an explanation of how we perform our fact-checks, how we choose which content to verify and the method we follow/process we follow.
https://www.univision.com/noticias/asi-lo-hacemos
We also explain the meaning of our labels (ratings).
In addition we include the following link in the same section, which leads to the detailed methodology of how we do our work:
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The applicant declares not to receive any funding from local or foreign state or political sources. As requested, it has provided evidence of a link on the website where the committment to editorial independence is set out.
done_all 1.6 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Section 2: A commitment to Non-partisanship and Fairness
To be compliant on nonpartisanship and fairness, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 2.1 The applicant fact-checks using the same high standards of evidence and judgement for equivalent claims regardless of who made the claim.
- 2.2 The applicant does not unduly concentrate its fact-checking on any one side, considers the reach and importance of claims it selects to check and publishes a short statement on its website to set out how it selects claims to check.
- 2.3 The applicant discloses in its fact checks relevant interests of the sources it quotes where the reader might reasonably conclude those interests could influence the accuracy of the evidence provided. It also discloses in its fact checks any commercial or other such relationships it has that a member of the public might reasonably conclude could influence the findings of the fact check.
- 2.4 The applicant is not as an organization affiliated with nor declares or shows support for any party, any politician or political candidate, nor does it advocate for or against any policy positions on any issues save for transparency and accuracy in public debate.
- 2.5 The applicant sets out its policy on non-partisanship for staff on its site. Save for the issues of accuracy and transparency, the applicant’s staff do not get involved in advocacy or publicise their views on policy issues the organization might fact check in such a way as might lead a reasonable member of the public to see the organization’s work as biased.
Criteria 2.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please share links to 10 fact checks published over the past year that you believe demonstrate your non-partisanship.
Please briefly explain how the fact checks selected show that (I) you use the same high standards of evidence for equivalent claims, (II) follow the same essential process for every fact check and (III) let the evidence dictate your conclusions.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The relaunch of El Detector coincided with the 2020 US presidential election campaign, in which we put into practice our methodology and relied on the knowledge and experience of the fact-checkers expert group, IFCN members who belong to the FACTCHAT project, the first coalition of US Fact checkers organized by the international fact-checking network (IFCN) at poynter – to debunk misinformation during the 2020 electoral campaign.
President Donald Trump's personality and style imposed a great journalistic challenge to the journalism industry and led to constant fact checking, that is the reason why many of our headlines contain his name.
We achieved balance to the multiple "false" and "deceitful" that deserved his allegations by seeking claims from other political actors of the opposite party and also finding false statements that were made about the president and his family. We also published fact-checks in which he or his government had correct/true claims. One of the tasks we focused on at the end of the campaign, for example, was to verify falsehoods that the networks had spread over the families of both candidates.
El Detector produces its own content and has its own fact-checkers. However, during the election campaign we published many of our partners’ content, thanks to the Factchat project. That helped us ensure fair and balanced coverage. We made editorial decisions to ensure that our audience had access to coverage of both candidates and provided a complete picture of what was under discussion at each stage of the campaign.
The list below includes some of the verifications made by our partners, which show the spirit of el Detector and the role we played during the 2020 presidential election.
We have also submitted President Biden’s speech and his administration’s statements to the same methodology we used during the Trump administration to check figures, verify its statements.
Here the 10 links of examples:
3- https://www.univision.com/noticias/tecnologia-chavista-presunto-fraude-elecciones-2020-donald-trump
10 - https://www.univision.com/noticias/gobierno-biden-no-detiene-ninos-migrantes-jaulas-como-trump
3 examples of translations we decided to publish:
11-
12-
13-
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
When performing fact-checks, El Detector applies a consistent and sound fact-checking methodology, backing the information with reliable links and covering issues with equivalent standars, regardless the ideological alignment of the institution, political party or person concerned.
Non-partisanship of the applicant has been adequately demonstrated by providing, as requested, ten examples of fact-checks covering politicians of all the U.S. political spectrum.
done_all 2.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 2.2
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to a place on your website where you explain how you select claims to check, explaining how you ensure you do not unduly concentrate your fact-checking on any one side, and how you consider the reach and importance of the claims you select to check.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
We follow journalistic principles and ethical standards and focus on revealing the truth and denouncing falsehoods or deceptions, with factual and contextual information, without favoring any political philosophy. We also use the methods data check organizations use to look for the issues that are viral and explode on social networks in a dizzying way, provoking opinions that have not been subject to verification.
We also consult live and documentary sources, including experts, databases, publications and other journalistic resources that allow us to reach firm conclusions. We use digital tools and publish the notes and links to the sources that led to our fact-checks so that our audience can also check them.
We always ask ourselves:
Is this a matter that affects people’s daily lives?
Are we contributing to improving the quality of public debate on the issue?
Are we presenting positions that are so controversial that they may ultimately lead people to support certain proposals of the politicians in power?
Is it possible to carry out a solid verification of the statement that interests us?
In addition, we guarantee that the parties are equally verified, without favoring any political tendency. We simply apply the same criteria, tools and method to verify any political speech or public affairs statement We fact-check everyone in the political spectrum equally.
In the particular case of candidate-president Donald Trump, we looked for lies that had been told about him, such as the number of sexual complaints in court, and we checked, in the same way we did with candidate Biden, how their family situation had been affected by "low blows" and attacks of their inner circle. On the one hand the issue of Hunter Biden, and on the other, videos with montages that made one believe that the children of Trump spoke against him.
El Detector fact checked politicians from every party or entity that manages public resources. The list includes all the different examples.
In “Asi Lo hacemos” section, we explain how we choose the topics we verify and how we use each label, explaining what each color means and what differentiates one from the other:
https://www.univision.com/especiales/noticias/detector/asi-lo-hacemos.html
We also have a tab on our homepage that links directly to our methodology and includes details about how our process works, how we publish, edit information and our correction policy.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
As requested, El Detector commits itself to non-partisanship. The applicant pledges to be "governed by principles of journalistic responsibility to reveal the truth and denounce what is false or misleading, without favoring any political side" (translated from the original in Spanish: "Nos regimos por principios de responsabilidad periodística de revelar la verdad y denunciar lo falso o engañoso, sin favorecer a ninguna parcialidad política").
done_all 2.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 2.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous year. No additional information required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
After a random review of fact-checks published since September 2020 to April 2021, no trace has been found of any commercial interest that might influence the fact-checking activity of El Detector.
done_all 2.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 2.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will assess compliance through a review of the fact checks published over the previous year. No additional information required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
After a random review of fact-checks published since September 2020 to April 2021, no trace has been found of any political or ideological interest that might influence the fact-checking activity of El Detector.
done_all 2.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 2.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to a place on your website where you publish a statement setting out your policy on non-partisanship for staff and how it ensures the organization meets this criteria.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Así lo hacemos:
Here’s how we do it:
https://www.univision.com/noticias/asi-lo-hacemos
In this tab we have a section titled: Who are we?, in which we declare: "El Detector is run by a team of journalists from the Univision news division - now virtual - and has external collaborators. Our fact-checkers are not affiliated with any political party and are governed by journalistic and ethical principles and standards. We also adhere to the code of principles of the International Fact Checking Network (IFCN)".
Univision Noticias is an independent news organization and is governed by the journalistic principles of truth, independence, intellectual honesty and balance. Principles that are inherent to El Detector.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
As requested, the applicant sets out its policy on non-partisanship for staff on its site. According to this policy, "fact-checkers are not affiliated with any political party and are governed by journalistic and ethical principles and standards."
done_all 2.5 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Section 3: A commitment to Standards and Transparency of Sources
To be compliant on sources, applicants must meet these four criteria
- 3.1 The applicant identifies the source of all significant evidence used in their fact checks, providing relevant links where the source is available online, in such a way that users can replicate their work if they wish. In cases where identifying the source would compromise the source’s personal security, the applicant provides as much detail as compatible with the source’s safety.
- 3.2 The applicant uses the best available primary, not secondary, sources of evidence wherever suitable primary sources are available. Where suitable primary sources are not available, the applicant explains the use of a secondary source.
- 3.3 The applicant checks all key elements of claims against more than one named source of evidence save where the one source is the only source relevant on the topic.
- 3.4 The applicant identifies in its fact checks the relevant interests of the sources it uses where the reader might reasonably conclude those interests could influence the accuracy of the evidence provided.
Criteria 3.1
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
After a random review of a number of fact-checks published over the previous months, a very consistent and widespread use of links to back fact-checks has been found in El Detector. These resources allow users to easily verify by themselves the relevant information published. It is worth mentioning a good practice of this applicant: at the botton of each article published, it provides a list of the sources used to perform the fact-check.
done_all 3.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 3.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
According to the assessor's knowledge, the sources used by El Detector to back fact-checks are well diversified, relevant and sound.
done_all 3.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 3.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The overall assessment for this criterion is positive. The sources used to back statements are clearly disclosed and consistently referred.
done_all 3.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 3.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the applicant’s use of sources in a randomised sample of its fact checks to assess compliance. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Although it's not a very common circumstance, when needed, El Detector contextualizes sufficiently the information about the sources used to back the fact-checks. It provides details so that readers can reasonably conclude the interests that could influence the accuracy of the evidence provided.
done_all 3.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Section 4: A commitment to Transparency of Funding & Organization
To be compliant on funding and organization, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 4.1 Applicants that are independent organizations have a page on their website detailing each source of funding accounting for 5% or more of total revenue for its previous financial year. This page also sets out the legal form in which the organization is registered (e.g. as a non-profit, as a company etc).
- 4.2 Applicants that are the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization make a statement on ownership.
- 4.3 A statement on the applicant’s website sets out the applicant’s organizational structure and makes clear how and by whom editorial control is exercised.
- 4.4 A page on the applicant’s website details the professional biography of all those who, according to the organizational structure and play a significant part in its editorial output.
- 4.5 The applicant provides easy means on its website and/or via social media for users to communicate with the editorial team.
Criteria 4.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please confirm whether you are an ‘independent organization’
or ‘the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization’ and share proof of this organizational status.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector is the fact-checking unit of Univision News. the news division of Univision Communications Inc., the leading Spanish-language media company in the US. This is its website: univision.com/eldetector
In addition, it has special real estate on the our UnivisionNoticias.com homepage, that clearly states that El Detector is part of its content.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector is a branch of Univision News, a private-owned television and online news platform, bound to Univision Communications Inc. The applicant's funding comes from the commercial operations of its parent organization.
done_all 4.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 4.2
Proof you meet criteria
If your organization is an “independent organization”, please share a link to the page on your website where you detail your funding and indicate the legal form in which the organization is registered (e.g. as a non-profit, as a company etc).
If your organization is “the fact-checking section or unit of a media house or other parent organization”, please share a link to the statement on your website about your ownership.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector is the fact-checking unit of Univision News. The news division of Univision Communications Inc., the leading Spanish-language media company in the US. This is its website: univision.com/eldetector
Our main homepage, UnivisionNoticias.com has a section dedicated to show our content under the title: TRUE OR FALSE?: THE DETECTOR VERIFIES IT
https://www.univision.com/noticias
In Así Lo Hacemos we explain that:
A link to Así Lo Hacemos:
https://www.univision.com/noticias/asi-lo-hacemos
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Integrated as a section of UnivisionNoticias.com, El Detector is bound to Univision News, a news organization targeted to Hispanic population in the U.S. As requested, this relationship with its parent media house is clearly disclosed.
done_all 4.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 4.3
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you set out your organizational structure, making clear how and by whom editorial control is exercised.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
https://www.univision.com/especiales/noticias/detector/asi-lo-hacemos.html
https://www.univision.com/especiales/noticias/detector/asi-lo-hacemos.html
The "Así lo hacemos" section contains a list of the main people in charge of El Detector. It is headed by Univision News investigative journalist Tamoa Calzadilla.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
As requested, El Detector discloses on its website the identities of its staff members (available in the bottom of this page). It does not provide, however, biographies or professional background information of these journalists. This is assessed as a minor issue, as this information is not provided either for the rest of journalists that work for the UnivisionNoticias.com portal, where El Detector is integrated.
done_all 4.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 4.4
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you set out the professional biographies of those who play a significant part in your organization’s editorial output.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
https://www.univision.com/especiales/noticias/detector/asi-lo-hacemos.html
https://www.univision.com/especiales/noticias/detector/asi-lo-hacemos.html
At the end: Coordination of The Detector...
At the end of this list are the names of those in charge of El Detector, their titles and e-mail addresses. There are also links to their biographies, headshots and published articles.
Tamoa Calzadilla, coordinator of El DEtector
Jose Angel Gonzalo, Director, Univision Noticias
Carlos Chirinos, editor of Politica
Sandra Lafuente, editor of El Detector
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector does not provide detailed information about its staff members. However, as indicated in the assessment of criterion 4.3., this deficiency is assessed as a minor issue, as this information is not provided for the rest of journalists that work for the UnivisionNoticias.com portal. Therefore providing such personal information only for journalists involved in the fact-checking operation would be a strange thing. The overall understanding for this assessment is that the lack of personal bios is justified by the overalls tructure of the website El Detector is part of, and not by any intention of concealment. Moreover, the applicant discloses personal email accounts for the three main editors.
done_all 4.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 4.5
Proof you meet criteria
Please share a link to where on your website you encourage users to communicate with your editorial team.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
We have several links to encourage communication with our audience, including a "contact us" section. We also invite users to write to us and have link that leads to el Detector’s email address: eldetector@univision.net. In addition, we have this message under each fact-check article: "Did you see any errors or inaccuracies? Help us to correct them. We also want to read if there are any messages or images you want us to check for you. Email us at eldetector@univision.net".
Here we tell you about our methodology and correction policy:
Aquí te contamos sobre nuestra metodología y política de corrección
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector provides several means of contact on its website, which comprise a general email address (eldetector@univision.net) and severalstaff members' email addresses.
done_all 4.5 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Section 5: A commitment to Standards and Transparency of Methodology
To be compliant on methodology, applicants must meet these six criteria
- 5.1 The applicant publishes on its website a statement about the methodology it uses to select, research, write and publish its fact checks.
- 5.2 The applicant selects claims to check based primarily on the reach and importance of the claims, and where possible explains the reason for choosing the claim to check.
- 5.3 The applicant sets out in its fact checks relevant evidence that appears to support the claim as well as relevant evidence that appears to undermine it.
- 5.4 The applicant in its fact checks assesses the merits of the evidence found using the same high standards applied to evidence on equivalent claims, regardless of who made the claim.
- 5.5 The applicant seeks where possible to contact those who made the claim to seek supporting evidence, noting that (I) this is often not possible with online claims, (II) if the person who makes the claim fails to reply in a timely way this should not impede the fact check, (III) if a speaker adds caveats to the claim, the fact-checker should be free to continue with checking the original claim, (IV) fact-checkers may not wish to contact the person who made the claim for safety or other legitimate reasons.
- 5.6 The applicant encourages users to send in claims to check, while making it clear what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable.
Criteria 5.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a link to the statement on your website that explains the methodology you use to select, research, write and publish your fact checks.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector discloses in full detail its fact-checking methodology, as well as the criteria to qualify content as true (verdadero), context lacking (falta contexto), without evidence (sin evidencia), misleading (engañoso), or false (falso).
done_all 5.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 5.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Based on a random review of a number of fact-checks published over several months prior to this assessment, enough examples have been found that El Detector selects claims to check based primarily on the reach and importance of the claims.
done_all 5.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 5.3
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
Drawing upon a number of randomly selected fact-checks published by the applicant organization, the assessor has come to the conclusion that El Detector commits to transparency and fairness when processing claims.
done_all 5.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 5.4
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
No usage of different standards for fact-checking has been detected, depending on who made the claim, or the subject checked. Therefore, this criterion is assessed as compliant.
done_all 5.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 5.5
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the methodology used in a randomised sample of your fact checks to assess compliance with these criteria. No additional evidence is required.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
In the random sample of fact-checks used for this assessment, no examples have been found of the objectionable situations indicated in this criterion. In absence of any apparent misbehaviour or infringement of the Code of Principles, the assessment is deemed as compliant.
done_all 5.5 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 5.6
Proof you meet criteria
Please describe how you encourage users to send in claims to check, while making it clear what readers can legitimately expect will be fact-checked and what isn’t fact-checkable. Include links where appropriate. If you do not allow this, explain why.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
At the bottom of each article we have the following statement: Did you see any errors or inaccuracies? Help us to correct them. We also want to read if there are any messages or images you want us to fact-check for you. Email us at eldetector@univision.net.
We also have a "What if we are wrong” section.
Did you see a mistake? Do you want to suggest a fact-check?
Email us at: eldetector@univision.net.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
As requested, El Detector has provided evidence on how it encourages users to propose claims to check, provide data and knowledge, as well as warn about possible errors in the checks. When such claims are received, their feasibility is assessed by the staff and they proceed accordingly (this procedure is described in the points 14, 15 and 16 of the fact-checking methodology).
done_all 5.6 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Section 6: A commitment to an Open & Honest Corrections Policy
To be compliant on corrections policy, applicants must meet these five criteria
- 6.1 The applicant has a corrections or complaints policy that is easily visible and accessible on the organization’s website or frequently referenced in broadcasts.
- 6.2 The policy sets out clear definitions of what it does and does not cover, how major mistakes, especially those requiring revised conclusions of a fact check, are handled, and the fact that some complaints may justify no response. This policy is adhered to scrupulously.
- 6.3 Where credible evidence is provided that the applicant has made a mistake worthy of correction, the applicant makes a correction openly and transparently, seeking as far as possible to ensure that users of the original see the correction and the corrected version.
- 6.4 The applicant, if an existing signatory, should either on its corrections/complaints page or on the page where it declares itself an IFCN signatory inform users that if they believe the signatory is violating the IFCN Code, they may inform the IFCN, with a link to the IFCN site.
- 6.5 If the applicant is the fact-checking unit of a media company, it is a requirement of signatory status that the parent media company has and adheres to an open and honest corrections policy.
Criteria 6.1
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a link to where you publish on your website your corrections or complaints policy. If you are primarily a broadcaster, please provide evidence you frequently reference your corrections policy in broadcasts.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
We do it at the bottom of each article with the phrase:
Did you see any errors or inaccuracies? Help us to correct
them. We also want to read if there are any messages or images you want us to fact-check for you.
Email us at: eldetector@univision.net.
We also include this at the bottom of each article: "What if we are wrong?
We will correct it and let you know with a footnote update. If you want to know in detail our methodology of work and correction you can click here.
Did you see a mistake? Do you want to suggest a fact-check?
Email us at: eldetector@univision.net.
The correction notes are placed at the bottom of the articles and we always explain at the top of the articles if there has been an update or a correction.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector allows users to send claims and corrections, mainly by email. In case a mistake has been found by anyone, it commits itself to add a correction clearly labeled as such in the corresponding article. When the mistake is very serious, the applicant commits itself to publishing the correction in social networks, as well as deleting the original content.
As possible measures for improvement, it is suggested 1) to expand the diversity of contact forms allowed to receive correction requests, and 1) indicating the maximum time (i.e. within 48 hours) that the correction might take to be checked and published.
done_all 6.1 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 6.2
Proof you meet criteria
The assessor will review the corrections policy to verify it meets critera. No additional information needed.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The corrections policy is explained in full detail, so that users can know in advance how their claims will be handled. However, as indicated in the assessment of criterion 6.1., this aspect could be improved if the applicant commits itself to responding in a limited period of time.
done_all 6.2 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 6.3
Proof you meet criteria
Please provide a short statement about how the policy was adhered to over the previous year (or six months if this is the first application) including evidence of two examples of the responses provided by the applicant to a correction request over the previous year. Where no correction request has been made in the previous year, you must state this in your application, which will be publicly available in the assessment if your application is successful.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
We have never directly received a request for correction. However, when we have done a correction by ourselves, this is the annotation we make to the article:
(*) Note of correction:
In publishing this note, we only referred to the data on flu and covid-19 deaths in the United States. But readers of Univision News' Facebook page made us see that these could be global figures, based on a 2017 WHO report. We checked it out.
Although the user who had released the figure of 665,000 flu deaths did not specify where the data was from, in our new fact-check we came to the same conclusion: that the number does not match that of the WHO, and that it is also not possible to compare the lethality of the flu with that of covid-19. We confirmed it with the official figures available.
In an update to 4 February, we made some clarifications in the text, the conclusion and the title.
This is the link:
Correction note in Spanish:
(*) Nota de corrección:
Al publicar esta nota solo hicimos referencia a los datos de muertes por gripe y covid-19 de Estados Unidos. Pero lectores del perfil de Facebook de Univision Noticias nos hicieron ver que podría tratarse de cifras mundiales, a partir de un reporte de la OMS de 2017. Lo comprobamos.
Aunque el usuario que había difundido la cifra de 665,000 muertes por gripe no especificó de dónde era el dato, en nuestra nueva comprobación llegamos a la misma conclusión: que el número no coincide con el de la OMS, y que tampoco es posible comparar la letalidad de la gripe y la de la covid-19. Lo confirmamos con las cifras oficiales disponibles.
En una actualización al 4 de febrero, hicimos algunas precisiones en el texto, la conclusión y el título.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
According to the information provided by El Detector for this application, it has "never directly received a request for correction". Nevertheles, it has presented evidence of one correction published without external request. This update is precise and appears clearly displayed .
done_all 6.3 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 6.4
Proof you meet criteria
If you are an existing signatory, please provide a link to show where on your site you inform users that if they believe you are violating the IFCN Code, they may inform the IFCN of this, with a link to the complaints page on the IFCN site.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
It does not apply, but once we are signatories we will put it in the correction policy.
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
The evidence indicated in this criterion is not required, as El Detector is not an existing IFCN signatory.
done_all 6.4 marked as Compliant by Ramón Salaverría.
Criteria 6.5
Proof you meet criteria
If you are the fact-checking unit of a media company, please provide a link to the parent media company’s honest and open corrections policy and provide evidence that it adheres to this.
El Detector / Univision Noticias
23-Apr-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
If you are the fact-checking unit of a media company, please provide a link to the parent media company’s honest and open corrections policy and provide evidence that it adheres to this.
At the end ‘Home” of Univision News:
https://www.univision.com/noticias
This statement is located:
http://static.univision.com/fragments/noticias/fact-checking/index.html
Ramón Salaverría Assessor
10-Jun-2021 (3 years ago) Updated: 3 years ago
El Detector is bound to Univision News, a parent news organization. The applicant's pages are part of the parent media website, so it is implied that the corrections policy disclosed by the applicant extends to the whole organization.