Maintaining Journalistic Authority The Role of Nigerian Newsrooms in "Post-truth Era"

This study provides an insight into the practice of fact-checking in Nigerian newsrooms. Theoretically, this study draws upon the ability of the Nigerian media to maintain its journalistic authority in this supposed "post-truth era". Using the 2019 Nigerian presidential elections as a lens, this study applies qualitative thematic analysis in examining 28 fact-checked election stories by 15 Nigerian newsrooms under the aegis of CrossCheck Nigeria. This study is guided by the overarching question: How do the Nigerian newsrooms maintain its journalistic authority? Findings show that the Nigerian media maintain its journalistic authority through the following means: technological expertise, access to sources, spokespersons of real-life events and mastery of knowledge. This novel study shows how fact-checking activities by the media can maintain journalistic authority.