The dissemination of false information for financial or ideological (political) reasons is not a new phenomenon. On account of digitisation, it is now easier than ever to deliver disinformation to the public, which may pose a threat to modern society and democracy (EBU, 2018). Many countries and institutions, including the European Commission, are fighting fake news. Strict regulation of this field is not the solution, because it would encroach on a fundamental human right – the freedom to receive and impart information. Owing to its special statutory role and the historically defined role of a reliable medium for informing society as a whole, the public service broadcaster is also fighting fake news, for it functions as a key media element of democracy due to its editorial independence, responsibility and transparency. With credible reporting it can strengthen people’s trust in the traditional media. Bombarded with disinformation, especially on social networks and before elections, people can no longer separate truth from fiction. This master's thesis takes a look at how the public service broadcaster in Slovenia is fighting fake news. In semi-structured interviews, the reporters, editors and newscasters of RTV Slovenia mostly emphasised quality reporting. They are obligated to perform it by code, acts and rules. A new method, which they started using this year during pre-election confrontations, is the so-called fact check. A critical discourse analysis of the key segments on RTV Slovenia, broadcast over the last two years, has shown that this public service broadcaster is fulfilling its educational role. Reporters contextualise fake news as a problem and attempt to present this phenomenon to people from different viewpoints using credible, expert sources of information
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