For Fact's Sake

The latest FFS Show is live! Sam and Ali are back with the usual combination of factual information and nonsensical conversation.

This podcast we are taking a look at the current pressures facing the NHS in Scotland, and reminiscing over a bit of clever marketing misinformation.

There’s also an exclusive announcement!

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Ali and Sam are back and this week they are asking you: Can you name 3 artists on the music charts back in 1991?

Right Said Fred got to number two in the charts back then, but 30 years later they get to number 1 when it comes to strange COVID misinformation being spread on Twitter. In this episode we explain what's wrong with their statement and give you the background behind it.

Ali also has a conversation with Nik Williams, a Ferret board member and media freedom expert.

The FFS Show is only possible thanks to your support. If you want to help us do more fact-checking work, become a member of The Ferret for just £3 per month.

Ali and Sam are back for The FFS Show episode 14.

This week we discuss some misleading headlines on guidance for trans young people in schools.

Also Ali removes the joy from a classic viral claim about penguins falling over at Edinburgh Zoo, while Sam becomes the 'man of the people'.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

The annual Government Expenditure and Revenue Scotland report, known as GERS, has been released, and in this week's podcast we look at what the report can and can't tell you.

You regular FFS Show host Ali Brian is joined this week by The Ferret's new Digital Engagement Editor Sam Goncalves to talk through some of the debate which surrounds the GERS report each year.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Episode 12 of the FFS Show podcast is a Boris Johnson fact-check special.

After Dawn Butler MP was ejected from the House of Commons for reading a list of alleged falsehoods by the PM, we dived into her statement to see whether her allegations were true.

We also concluded our interview with new openDemocracy editor-in-chief Peter Geoghegan. He talked us through the links between Covid-19 misinformation and those behind similar tactics during the Brexit referendum and beyond.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

It's a bittersweet podcast this time.

Sweet because we have a great interview with journalist and Ferret co-founder Peter Geoghegan, but bitter because it's Mags' last podcast as a member of the FFS team.

She's off to pastures new but still had time to talk through her fact check on whether Scotland's vaccine rollout is lagging behind the rest of the UK.

Ali spoke to Peter Geoghegan about the link between 'dark money' and disinformation, a subject he has reported on widely for The Ferret and openDemocracy.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Episode 10 is here! A milestone for our little podcast.

In this episode, Mags looks at the spat between Andy Burnham and Nicola Sturgeon on Covid-19 restrictions, while Ali finds out if the UK government really wanted kids to sing a patriotic song.

The FFS Show is hosted by The Ferret's fact-checkers Ali Brian and Mags Taylor. Follow us on Twitter at @AlastairBrian and @MagsTaylorish.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

This week Ali fact-checks the claim that Nicola Sturgeon missed COBRA meetings from the outset of COVID-19.

And Mags looks into the claim that historical data will not be used for pupil assessments this year.

The FFS Show is hosted by The Ferret's fact-checkers Ali Brian and Mags Taylor. Follow us on Twitter at @AlastairBrian and @MagsTaylorish.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Mags is back after a podcast off, and gets straight back to work looking into a misleading article about Scots vaccine-related deaths.

Ali speaks to Alex Clegg, who worked with Sense About Science to produce a guide for talking to people who believe in conspiracy theories.

The FFS Show is hosted by The Ferret's fact-checkers Ali Brian and Mags Taylor. Follow us on Twitter at @AlastairBrian and @MagsTaylorish.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Ali is flying solo today for a special interview with Alex Clegg from charity Sense About Science.

We look at how well the media reported scientific information around Covid-19, and how it can improve.

The FFS Show is hosted by The Ferret's fact-checkers Ali Brian and Mags Taylor. Follow us on Twitter at @AlastairBrian and @MagsTaylorish.

The music for this show is by Kevin Hartnell, under a CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.