WCVE News 88.9FM to re-establish PolitiFact Virginia

WCVE News, the NPR affiliate in Richmond, Va., is partnering with PolitiFact to re-launch PolitiFact Virginia on Sept. 11 and bring local fact-checking to Virginia politics.

The partnership grew out of PolitiFact Virginia’s previous home with the Richmond Times-Dispatch newspaper from 2010 to 2016. WCVE then featured PolitiFact Virginia on its air each week, interviewing PolitiFact contributors to discuss their fact-check of Virginia politics. WCVE found the segment was popular, and it was missed when the newspaper discontinued the service in early 2017.

WCVE has hired Warren Fiske, the original editor of PolitiFact Virginia, to once again lead the website. Fiske led PolitiFact Virginia for its entire six-year run at the Richmond Times Dispatch. Fiske previously served for 23 years as the senior political writer for the Virginian-Pilot. He became the Pilot’s Richmond bureau chief, overseeing the newspaper’s coverage of state government and elections.

WCVE leaders said they believed the new partnership would renew a unique form of accountability journalism at the local level.

“Holding our leaders accountable for what they say, applauding those who adhere to accuracy, and in all cases giving them the facts and the opportunity to respond is critical both to good journalism and good governing,” said Bill Miller, vice president of the Community Idea Stations and general manager of WCVE Public Radio. “We are proud to have become part of one of the most trusted fact-checking organizations in the country.”

“At a time when citizens and news consumers want more than ever to know that the information they’re presented with is accurate, we’re pleased that PolitiFact Virginia will be there to separate fact from fiction,” said Craig Carper, News Director, WCVE Public Radio.

PolitiFact Virginia stories will air Tuesdays at 7:45 a.m. and 4:44 p.m. on WCVE News 88.9FM, and posted online at ideastations.org/politifact and politifact.com/virginia.