Der Spiegel dwarfs NY Times, US media with emphasis on fact checking

The "astounding" fact checking organization in place at Der Speigel has a different philosophy than is practiced by US media: fact checkers work with reporters from inception, not after the story is done or nearly done.

• Der Spiegel and its premier fact checking department saw fit to examine the little matter of the greatest transfer of wealth in human history (global warming). Major US media might blush if it read Spiegel's reports from close to the center of climate hype.

(Craig Silverman in CJR):"CS: It turns out the publication (Der Spiegel) is home to what is most likely the world’s largest fact checking operation. This came as something of a surprise not only to me, but also to the two editors from The New York Times Magazine and The New Yorker that joined me as speakers at the conference. (You can read more about the English presenters in this post on my Web site.) ... Roughly eighty full-time people work in fact checking and the research/library at Der Spiegel....Another thirty or so part-timers also do duty at the magazine.

• That’s an astounding, unprecedented number.

• The New Yorker currently has sixteen fact checkers including Peter Canby, the head of the department, whom I met for the first time in person in Germany.
• The New York Times Magazine, which was represented by managing editor Sarah Smith, has
• fewer checkers on staff than The New Yorker, though it also works with freelancers....

CS: That’s one big difference with the American model, where the

• checker doesn’t get involved until the piece is finished or close to finished. Whereas you might be

consulted even before the writer starts writing "…

• from Columbia Journalism Review, "Inside the World's Largest Fact Checking Organization," by Craig Silverman (of Regret the Error), 4/9/10, via Poynter.org/Romenesko

Der Speigel has reported extensive problems with the theory of man-made global warming, including that it does not exist (November 2009). This in spite of their being at the center of Euro climate politics.

• Major US media would rather go out of business than admit the truth about global warming fraud in my opinion.

Der Spiegel, 11/19/09, "Stagnating Temperatures: Climatologists baffled by global warming time-out," by Gerald Traufetter

• Der Spiegel, 4/01/10, "Climate Catastrophe: A Superstorm for Global Warming Research," by Marco Evers, Olaf Stampf, and Gerald Traufetter

Reference: "Copenhagen summit: it's money that matters in the back room talks," 11/30/09, UK Guardian by John Vidal

• The US government apparently does not read Der Spiegel. Without media watchdogs in the US and present other failings, they pretend global warming exists, that it is the fault of US citizens, and US taxpayers must pay reparations to equatorial dictators. How can this not be a crime? ed.