Cultural Figures Launch Humorous News Program Fun Facts

A group of German artists and media personalities has announced the launch of a new informational format called Fun Facts. As announced at a press conference, it will be an almost daily, entertaining, and humorous program recorded before a live audience. Its main goal is to fight fake news on social media. The creators, including satirist Sarah Bosetti and author Marc-Uwe Kling, pointed out that they observe a growing problem with reliable facts reaching audiences online. „„Wir haben Humor und wir haben Prominenz. Und die Idee von Fun Facts ist, diese beiden Sachen als Viralitätsverstärker für Fakten zu nehmen”” — Marc-Uwe Kling – explained Kling. He simultaneously emphasized that the program does not aspire to be a comprehensive source of information or to replace classic media. Rather, it is meant to serve a complementary function, attracting the attention of viewers who might find standard news formats boring or inaccessible.The phenomenon of digital media misinformation intensified rapidly in the second decade of the 21st century, especially after the 2016 US presidential election. Since then, social media platforms and governments of various countries have intensified efforts to combat false information, although these methods raise controversies concerning freedom of speech. Among the confirmed participants in the project are also actress Karoline Herfurth and other, as yet undisclosed, representatives of the cultural scene. The format envisions a daily change of host, which is intended to introduce an element of freshness and diversity of perspectives. The program's premiere date has not yet been announced. The initiative fits into a broader trend of searching for new, attractive forms of journalism and media education, particularly aimed at younger generations.