Breaking news verification checklist

What to take away

• Verify the claim, source, time, location, and original record separately.
• Trace apparent corroboration back to its first source.
• Publish only the portion the evidence supports.
• Avoid repeating harmful rumors merely to deny them.
• Carry verification notes and corrections into the next shift.

Use this checklist for each material development in a breaking story. Mark yes, no, unknown, or not applicable. The publication decision rests on the weakest necessary part of the claim, not the number of boxes marked. It accompanies the breaking updates and timelines guide, which sets the live page's contract.

Source identity

• The person, account, office, or document is identified.
• The source has direct knowledge or authority for this claim.
• Contact information comes from a trusted record rather than the incoming message alone.
• A verified account has not been imitated or compromised.
• The source's interests and limits are recorded.

Original material

• The newsroom has the original post, file, recording, image, or document.
• A screenshot has been traced to its source page.
• The full passage has been reviewed, not only a clipped quotation.
• The source version and retrieval time are saved.
• Metadata are treated as clues and checked against content.

Time and location

• Event time is distinguished from upload or publication time.
• The time zone is known.
• Landmarks, weather, light, language, route, or official records support the location.
• Old media have been checked for reuse.
• The stated location does not expose a vulnerable person or active response.

Independent support

• A second source adds independent evidence rather than copying the first.
• Official records have been checked within their proper scope.
• A witness account is not expanded beyond what the person could observe.
• Conflicting evidence is documented.
• The desk knows what remains unconfirmed.

A second record helps only when read within its scope; the comparison of government decision documents explains what each official instrument can establish.

Rumor handling

• The rumor has enough reach or harm to justify public treatment.
• The correction can be stated without amplifying unnecessary details.
• The verified fact leads the item.
• Readers are directed to the exact authoritative record.
• The post does not shame people who encountered the claim.

A Journalist's Resource tip sheet on health misinformation advises debunking falsehoods high in the story, avoiding false balance, and examining who benefits from a false claim. It was written for health coverage of public officials, so apply the sequencing lesson without importing its subject matter. Whether the claim deserves a full explainer at all is a separate gate; the story selection checklist covers that decision.

Wording and display

• The headline does not state more than the verified claim.
• Attribution appears next to preliminary or disputed material.
• "Confirmed" identifies who or what confirmed it.
• Numbers include units, period, and status.
• Images and captions do not imply an unverified identity or cause.
• The timestamp identifies the reporting state accurately.

Uncertainty and public action

• Known facts and unknowns are both stated.
• Instructions come from the responsible authority and carry place and time limits.
• A forecast is not written as an observed outcome.
• The desk avoids reassurance that evidence cannot support.
• The next check or official milestone is named when known.

The CDC Crisis and Emergency Risk Communication program page describes trainings, tools, and resources for communicating about risk during emergencies, drawing on past public health emergencies and research in public health, psychology, and risk communication. A newsroom is not an emergency agency, but the framework reinforces the need to align speed, accuracy, audience needs, and role clarity. When the instruction arrives as an official health document, the workflow in how to read a public health notice extracts its scope and audience before quoting.

Safety, dignity, and privacy

• Publication will not reveal a tactical position, protected address, or private medical detail without a strong public-interest reason.
• Names of dead or injured people follow confirmation and notification practices.
• Graphic media are necessary, accurately labeled, and handled under policy.
• Children and vulnerable people receive added protection.
• The update does not invite harassment toward an unverified person.

Correction and handoff

• Every published claim has an owner and source note.
• Dependent headlines, summaries, charts, and posts are searchable.
• A material error has a visible correction route.
• The next shift receives open questions and disputed claims.
• The live page has a defined close condition.

Common questions

Are two eyewitnesses enough?

It depends on what they independently observed, where they were, and whether records or media support the same claim.

Should a newsroom quote a rumor before correcting it?

Only when readers need the wording to understand the correction. Lead with the verified fact and avoid needless repetition.

Can an official account be wrong?

Yes. Confirm the account, preserve the statement, attribute it, and keep checking the underlying fact.

What if verification cannot finish quickly?

Publish a narrower verified update or say the claim is being checked. Speed does not require a conclusion.