ECHVID LEARNING GUIDES
How to verify a news story
A practical editorial method for turning a developing report into an evidence-backed video bulletin.
Define the event precisely
Before searching for coverage, record the person or organization involved, what happened, where it occurred, and the relevant date. Write a one-sentence event definition. Similar keywords do not necessarily mean articles describe the same event.
In practice: Example: two reports about a transport strike in different cities must remain separate stories, even if both mention cancelled trains.
Build a source ledger
For each candidate report, record publisher, original URL, publication time, author if available, the exact claim supported, and any corrections. A copy of a wire report on two websites is usually one underlying source, not independent confirmation.
In practice: Keep source material associated with the individual story rather than joining unrelated reports into one script.
Verify the time window
Check the date of the underlying event as well as article publication and update times. A newly updated page can still describe an old event. Use absolute dates in scripts when relative phrases such as 'today' could become misleading.
In practice: If time is unclear, say when information was reported instead of presenting the event as breaking.
Evaluate competing accounts
Compare primary statements, official records, and reporting by independent organizations. If credible sources disagree, report the disagreement with attribution; do not silently choose the version that produces the most dramatic headline.
In practice: Distinguish a confirmed action, an allegation, and a forecast in both narration and captions.
Review the final video
Compare each spoken claim with its source ledger, then inspect headline, on-screen captions, images, pronunciation, footage context, and any AI-generated scenes. Fictional or illustrative visuals should not appear to document an actual event.
In practice: Hold publication if a major claim cannot be traced to a reliable source.