Innovation Fact Check: CBS Uses QR Code in TV Debates

The question of how to verify and accurately classify the statements of national candidates during a debate continues to engage the media landscape even in the 2024 election. Should CNN moderators, who remained relatively passive during the June debate between President Biden and former President Donald J. Trump, intervene more quickly? Or should the ABC moderators, who politely but assertively corrected some of Trump's outlandish claims during the second debate on September 10, remain quiet? Moderating a debate is an art form, not a science. CBS News, the host of Tuesday’s vice-presidential debate between Senator JD Vance and Governor Tim Walz, is attempting a new approach with technical support. During the broadcast, a QR code – the black-and-white checkered box that can be scanned with a smartphone – will be displayed prominently. Viewers who scan the code will be directed to the CBS News website, where a team of about 20 journalists will provide real-time fact-checks of the candidates' statements. This service will be exclusively available on CBS; viewers watching the debate on another channel will not see the code. Nearly all major networks will simultaneously broadcast the debate starting at 9 p.m. Eastern Time. However, this is an innovative approach to providing viewers, who often watch TV while also using a smartphone or laptop, with additional journalistic content. "The idea is to offer people this second-screen experience," said Claudia Milne, Senior Vice President for Standards and Practices at CBS News, adding, "This way, the audience can receive the most important information in a responsible and intelligent manner.