As a nonpartisan and community-supported newsroom, BenitoLink has been San Benito County’s trusted news source since 2012. Dedicated to bringing readers fact-based information on the community’s most important issues, we continue seeking to inform our readers and dispel misinformation with our Fact Check series while seeking transparency from our county’s leaders.
At a time when online misinformation is rampant, our dedication to delivering fact-driven news couldn’t be stronger. To help us uphold this standard, BenitoLink has partnered with Gigafact, a nonprofit organization that equips and trains local newsrooms to respond constructively to the confusions, rumors and unsupported claims that circulate online by producing a series of fact briefs.
BenitoLink reporter, Jenny Mendolla Arbizu, has been heading the effort since January, beginning with the question: Is San Benito’s only hospital closing? BenitoLink publishes new fact briefs every Friday.
Each one is written in 150 words or less and responds to a claim with a clear “yes” or “no” (or “true” or “false”) answer. It supports the answer with information from primary sources available to the public.
These sources are listed and hyperlinked below each fact brief, allowing readers to examine the information for themselves.
Readers can also find a tipline with each fact brief to submit items in need of fact-checking. Occasionally we will post short quizzes on previously published fact briefs.
Read more about Gigafact’s standards and how it’s helping newsrooms like BenitoLink implement a new fact-checking editorial methodology.