Online!
On Tuesday, Tim Walz and J.D. Vance, the two candidates for U.S. Vice-President, will stage their only debate. Like the previous presidential tilt, this one will be on almost every major U.S. TV network, along with most of the all-news channels in Canada.
But it turns out, there may be only one place to really see it - the originating network, CBS. The reason is quite unusual. While CBS has insisted it will not do "fact checks" during the back and forth (which got ABC into hot water with Republicans) it's the only network that is going to be putting up a QR code on its screen, where viewers can go to a website and have by-the-second fact checks being done in real time.
From the New York Times:
"A QR Code - the checkerboard-like, black-and-white box that can be scanned by a smartphone — will appear onscreen for long stretches of the CBS telecast. Viewers who scan the code will be directed to the CBS News website, where a squad of about 20 CBS journalists will post fact-checks of the candidates’ remarks in real time.
"The code will appear only on CBS; viewers who tune in on a different channel will not see it."
I really like this idea. You get the facts, but not the interruptions and you can judge for yourself who's telling the truth. I hope this idea catches on for future debates. It's a necessary evil, especially for Vance, who has admitted in the past he doesn't mind telling lies if it will "wake up the American public."
Want to Check That Fact? For V.P. Debate Viewers, Just Scan the Code.
Offline
I like this idea too...the bullshit that can be spread to millions of people in a second without any proof points is palpable...for example, I now know for certain that cats and dogs and other pets are being eaten by Haitian immigrants in Ohio and that Viktor Orban, the Prime Minister of Hungary, is a real stand up guy thanks to Trump's participation in the last Presidential candidates debate!
Offline
Great idea, I’m going to check it out, thanks RA! Wonder what new BS Vance will come up with, can’t beat Haitian pet munchers though….!
Online!
I don't envy the fact checkers over at CBS. It's going to be a long night for them.
Online!
I didn't see any QR code, but the fact check for both sides was on the CBS site nonetheless. NBC also did a minute-by-minute true or false list in real time.
But here's what you didn't see on the debate - and it was for obvious reasons. But boy, would this have been fun if they had allowed it. Worth clicking the link just to see the trailer.
Trailer for The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump is rejected by CBS and ABC during debates and news broadcasts
Offline
RadioActive wrote:
I didn't see any QR code, but the fact check for both sides was on the CBS site nonetheless. NBC also did a minute-by-minute true or false list in real time.
But here's what you didn't see on the debate - and it was for obvious reasons. But boy, would this have been fun if they had allowed it. Worth clicking the link just to see the trailer.
Trailer for The Apprentice starring Sebastian Stan as Donald Trump is rejected by CBS and ABC during debates and news broadcasts
The QR code wasn’t there initially but it did appear for a time. It wasn’t there for the full debate though.
Online!
NBC also occasionally had a QR code on their broadcast. Led to the same kind of thing and I think they did a better job of real time fact checking than CBS. But it's good to see they both tried it. Nothing out of either of these guys' mouths can be fully trusted!
Offline
RadioActive wrote:
.. Nothing out of either of these guys' mouths can be fully trusted!
Seriously? That's akin to saying "there's fine people on both sides".
There's magnitudes of difference on who's shoveling BS.
Online!
I take everything any politician says with a skeptical ear. That said, there's no question which side tells the biggest lies. What kills me is they admit to making stuff up - like eating dogs and cats in Ohio - and a lot of people still support them! I find that baffling. But I take almost nothing they promise seriously. I don't think I'm alone in that.
Which is why I support the broadcast networks' fact checking idea and I hope they use it here whenever the next election comes. It's became an absolute necessity.