In the first six months of this year (2024), Rumor Scanner has seen a significant decrease in the rate of publishing false news in the country’s media. Fact Checks published on the Rumor Scanner website from January to June this year analyze the media’s misinformation and compare data with previous statistics.
What are the statistics saying?
Rumor Scanner verified reports from 164 media outlets in the country for this statistics, which were published based on data from the first six months of this year. A maximum of 20 to a minimum of one misinformed report was found in these media. 58 media outlets in the earlier statistics (for the last six months of 2023) were excluded due to no misinformation in the first six months of this year. However, 18 more media outlets that have been found to have misinformation have been added to this statistics. In total, 681 reports in 164 media have been checked and evidence of misinformation has been found this time.
According to statistics, Kalbela, the leading media of the country, is in first place due to spreading the most misinformation. Out of the 78 reports identified as having false information, the media published 20 reports.
Image: Rumor Scanner
In the first six months of this year, March saw the most misinformation spread in the media. Statistical analysis shows that most misinformation is spread on national issues. In addition to the private media in the statistics, the state media is also included in the list of misinformation, foreign media are also not left out.
Misinformation highest in March
Rumor Scanner identified 78 reports as false in the first six months of this year. Out of this, a maximum 22 misinformation data (28 percent) were detected in the month of March. 14 (18 percent) detected in April. The least amount of misinformation detected was in February, with 7.
False and misleading news is the most
In the first six months of 2024 (January to June), out of a total of 78 incidents, 41 false, 35 misleading and 02 distorted information were circulated in the media as true information. Analyzing these statistics, it appears that the rate of spreading false information in these cases was about 52 percent. Moreover, the rate of spreading misleading information is not low at all, about 45 percent.
How is ‘Kalbela’ first?
Kalbela, one of the country’s national dailies, ranks first in this list of media misinformation statistics. Rumor Scanner found evidence of 20 false news from January to June by analyzing news published on the media’s website, YouTube channel and Facebook page.
Among these, the top five misinformation were on religious topics, accounting for about 25 percent. In addition to category-based misinformation, Kalbela’s most frequent misinformation were informational (9), accounting for about 45 percent of total errors. In addition, five of the published news stories used wrong pictures of old or different events, which is 25 percent of the total misinformation. Apart from this, the rate of publishing fake news based on video is about 30 percent.
The media is also seen in the joint first position in the statistics for the last six months of 2023 published by Rumor Scanner.
Which category has more misinformation?
Analyzing the statistics of fake news published by the media in the first six months of this year, it can be seen that the most fake news was published on national issues (14), which is 18 percent as a percentage. The second highest prevalence of fake news was reported on international issues (13). The number of false news campaigns on sports and religion was 11, the third highest. Apart from this, 9 on environment and climate, 7 on politics, 6 on entertainment, 3 on education and 2 on science and technology have been spread. Rumor Scanner found an equal number (one each) of misinformation about health and fraud.
What kind of misinformation is more?
Considering the type of misinformation, the most common misinformation in the media in the first six months of this year was information-based (41), which accounted for 52 percent of the total. In addition, 19, which is 24 percent, used wrong photos of old or different events in the news published. Apart from this, 18 video-centric wrong news articles have been circulated.
Which news has the highest number of media mistakes?
In the first six months of this year, five out of 78 issues have been reported in over half a hundred media outlets. Among them, the factcheck published in February following the news of the ban on shipping from Teknaf to St. Martin, calling for an indefinite ban on travel to St. Martin, found the highest number (72) of media outlets to be spreading false information. 18 cases where at least 10 media outlets reported wrongly in one news story. Among these topics, three false news items were identified in the national, international, religious and sports categories. Besides, one in politics category, one in education, two in entertainment, one in science and technology and one in environment and climate category were found.
Which issue is more misinformed?
The 12th National Parliament election was held on January 7 this year. Several rumors are seen spreading around this election in various media including the internet. Rumor Scanner published four fact checks in January identifying four fake news stories about the election. See fact checks 1, 2, 3, 4. In the first six months of this year, considering a single incident, the media has spread the most wrong news about this election. Apart from this, three fake news stories were identified in Ayodhya’s Ram Mandir inauguration issue, T20 World Cup 2024 issue and Russell’s Viper issue. Two media reports on the MV Abdullah ship hijacking issue have been identified as false. The media has spread a false news on the issue of the death of Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi.
About whom more ‘misinformation’ has been spread?
National cricket team all-rounder Shakib Al Hasan participated in the parliamentary elections this year as a candidate of Awami League. His name has been in media news at various times this year due to his identity as a player as well as his political identity. Rumor Scanner’s analysis of media misinformation statistics for the first six months of this year shows that Shakib is the single person who has received the most (3) misinformation in the media. Out of these three, one is politics oriented while the other two are sports related. See fact checks 1, 2, 3. Apart from this, the persons who have been victims of one misinformation through media reports are Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, former Finance Minister Abul Hasan Mahmud Ali, former Member of Parliament Syed Sayedul Haque Suman, music artist and former Member of Parliament Momtaz Begum, National Women’s Cricket Team player Jahanara Alam. ,National cricket team player Tamim Iqbal, former Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, Sri Lankan cricketer Kusal Mendis, former Bangladesh cricket team bowling coach Alan Donald, former Brazilian footballer Kaka and Facebook co-founder Mark Zuckerberg. Besides, Bangabandhu Tunnel and India’s Babri Masjid have been the victims of most (2 each) false news as ‘establishments’. Besides, a false news has been circulated about Shahjalal International Airport.
Propagation of misinformation also in the state media
Rumor Scanner found a false news spread on the website of the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) in its first six months. Last March, the media circulated one news about the demand of importing 300 tons of onion through Hili land port of Dinajpur. Later investigation revealed that no onion was imported from India through Hili land port at that time. However, in the first six months of this year, the state broadcaster Bangladesh Television did not find any evidence of disinformation.
Foreign media were not left out
Rumor Scanner found two false news stories being published on the website of BBC Bangla, a foreign media operating in Bangladesh, in the first six months of this year.
The media published a report claiming a photo of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman’s speech at the Race Course Maidan rally on January 3, 1971 taken by Jalaluddin Haider as a photo dated March 7 of that year. Here’s Rumor Scanner’s fact check on the matter.
BBC Bangla News broadcast a picture of a plane crash in Iran in 2020 demanding pictures of the crashed helicopter carrying Iranian President Ibrahim Raisi last May. Check out the fact check here.
However, Rumor Scanner did not find any evidence of any misinformation in ‘DW Bangla’ and ‘Voice of America Bangla’ in the first six months of this year.
58 media were excluded, 18 were newly added
Analyzing the statistics of misinformation in the first six months of this year in the media, it is found that there are 58 media outlets that had at least one news report with misinformation last year, but not a single news report containing misinformation this year. These media have been excluded from this year’s statistics This list also includes mainstream media like The Daily Star, DW Bangla, Voice of America Bangla, Bangla Tribune, New Age. Not included in the previous statistics, but this year evidence of misinformation was found, with 18 new media outlets added to the statistics.
Image: Rumor Scanner
81 percent of the media have improved
Rumor Scanner analyzed fake news statistics for the last six months of 2023 compared to the first six months of 2024, and found that 117 media outlets reported a decrease (about 81 percent) in the first six months of this year compared to previous statistics. Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS) stands at the top of the improvement list with an 89 percent reduction rate. The media published 09 false news in the last six months of last year but only one false news in the first six months of this year. Apart from this, the list of media which has reduced the number of misinformation by 50 percent or more includes Prothom Alo, Somoy TV, Ajker Patrika, Manabzamin, Jamuna TV, Channel 24, Independent TV, Dhaka Tribune, Dhaka Post, Ekattor TV, BDNews24, Daily Observer, Daily Sun, Kaler Kantho, The Financial Express, UNB, Purbo Poshchim BD, Somoyer Alo, Rising BD, Bangladesh Post, Sangbad, Samakal, Shamprotik Deshkal, NewsG24, Dainik Sangram, BBS Bangla, Asian TV, Bangladesh Journal, Radio Today News, Bhorer Dak, Nagorik TV, Daily Messenger, Somoy Journal, Channel I, Amader Somoy, Barta24, Alokito Bangladesh, Bahumatrik, Ittefaq, News Now24, Janobani, Business Journal, Dainik Sarobar, Sukhabor, News24, Manabkantha, Naya Diganta. , Abnews24, Inqilab, Naya Shatabdi, Protidiner Sangbad, Dainik Amader Shomoy, Bahanno News, Bangladesh Today, Banglavision, Jagonews24, Bayanno TV, The Business Standard, Bangla Insider, Desh TV, Daily Bangladesh, Shadhin Alo, 24 Live Newspaper Bangla, Bangladesh Pratidin, Sonali News, Dainik Karatoa, Bonik Barta, Share Biz, The Daily Campus, Sangbad Prokash, Freedom Bangla News, Bbarta24, SA TV, Ajker Darpan, Ekushey sangbad, Bangladesh Moments, Dainik Shiksha, Star Sangbad, Padma News, Delta Times, Global TV, Sunbd24, BNA News24, Probashir Diganto, Padma Times24. See the full list here.
Media outlets that were in the top five in the last six months of 2023 but did not make the top five in this year’s statistics include Ekattor TV and Dainik Ittefaq. Both media outlets saw a 67 percent reduction in false news coverage.
All media outlets in the top five have improved
This time, 12 media are in the top five of the list. However, all these media have reduced the amount of fake news coverage compared to the previous statistics. The rate of spreading false news in these media has decreased from a maximum of 67 percent to a minimum of 10 percent. The percentage of reduction in the rate of spreading false news by mass media is respectively Channel 24 67 percent, Somoy TV 63 percent, Dhaka Post 58 percent, Daily Bangladesh 58 percent, Kalbela 39 percent, Janakantha 36 percent, Zoom Bangla 36 percent, Jugantar 33 percent, RTV 29 percent, DBC News 28 percent, BD24 Report 25 percent and Jaijaidin 10 percent.
14 media have degraded
Rumor Scanner analyzed the fake news statistics for the last six months of 2023 compared to the first six months of 2024. In the first six months of this year, 14 media outlets reported an increase (about 9.5%) in the rate of false news coverage compared to previous figures.
Ekhon TV, Notun Somoy, Tarango News and Bangi News are on top of this list with a 200 percent rate. Besides, the list of media which has increased the number of misinformation by 50 percent or more includes BBC Bangla, ATN News, Dainik Ganamukti, Sangbad Sarabela, Newsbangla24, My TV, Face the People, Ortho sangbad and Probash Journal. See the full list here.
RTV, DBC News, Jugantar, Jaijaidin, Janakantha and BD24Report are among the media outlets that were not in the top five in the first six months but are now. But all of them have seen a reduction in the rate of false news coverage compared to the past.
No change in position of 14 other media
Rumor Scanner compared fake news statistics for the last six months of 2023 to the first six months of this year and found that the rate of false news coverage did not decrease or increase for the 14 media outlets under the statistics. These are the Somoyer konthosor (6), Dhaka Report 24 (5), Bangladesh Times (5), Business Bangladesh (4), Moth O Path (4), Khaborer kagoj (3), Amar Sangbad (3), Business Insider (2), Daily Mirror of Bangladesh (2) , Odhikarbd BD (2), Prime News (1), Nirapad News (1), Star Stories (1), Odhikar.news (1). The amount of false news that was spread in the last six months of last year in these media, the same amount of false news has been spread in the first six months of this year.
Keep trying to improve
The rate of misinformation dissemination in the country’s media is gradually decreasing. We believe this improvement is a significant achievement towards fulfilling the goals and objectives of the Rumor Scanner. The purpose of publishing statistics on false news in the media is to raise awareness among all concerned.It is not expected that the media will lose its credibility. To prevent that, there is no alternative to being cautious when publishing news. Media outlets can cross-check information from multiple sources before publication and, if necessary, confirm the matter with the primary source. However, in some cases, general cross-checking or conventional research does not work. In verifying such news, seeking assistance from fact-checking organizations worldwide is a common practice. We have also seen this practice begin in Bangladesh. Several media outlets in the country have sought the assistance of the Rumor Scanner to verify information in the past. The Rumor Scanner team always assures maximum cooperation in this regard.
