FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 31, 2006Contact: Chris Hart

410.837.5739

Brooks Jackson, Director of Annenberg Center’s

Fact Check Project, to Speak at UB Oct. 4

Brooks Jackson, a pioneering journalist and author who is credited with the rise of the “check-their-facts” brand of journalism that has changed the nature of political races in an era of campaign finance reform, will speak at the University of Baltimore on Wednesday, Oct. 4 for the third annual Randolph B. Rosencrantz Citizenship Forum, presented by UB’s School of Public Affairs. This event will take place at 7 p.m. in the Performing Arts Theater of the University of Baltimore Student Center, 21 W. Mt. Royal Ave. The discussion is free and open to the public, though reservations are required. (Attendance details below.) There will be a ticketed reception prior to the public event.

Jackson, a 35-year veteran of covering Washington and national politics for the Associated Press, the Wall Street Journal and CNN, currently serves as the director of Annenberg Political Fact Check, a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center at the University of Pennsylvania. The organization is a “nonpartisan, nonprofit, ‘consumer advocate’ for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.”

As part of his presentation, Jackson will show recent examples of televised political advertising, much of which is based on claims made by candidates about themselves or their opponents.

Political Fact Check focuses on the accuracy of these statements and assertions by major U.S. politicians in ads, as well as in debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. It embraces the goal “to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.”

During the 1992 presidential election, Jackson covered that campaign by checking what the candidates said against the factual record, debunking falsehoods and partial truths and arguably increasing public interest in the race. This "adwatch" and "factcheck" form of journalism caught on, and is now used by reporters at all levels of political coverage and in large, mid-size and small media markets.

Jackson’s investigative reporting for the AP and the Wall Street Journal won a number of national awards. He is also the author of two books, Broken Promise: Why the Federal Election Commission Failed, and Honest Graft: Big Money and the American Political Process.

Professor John T. Willis, director of the Undergraduate Program in Government and Public Policy for the School of Public Affairs and a lead organizer in the Citizenship Forum series, said the University and the Randolph B. Rosencrantz Memorial Fund selected Jackson as this year’s speaker because of the importance of this form of journalism in achieving the goals of informed citizenship.

“Good citizenship involves making the effort to learn about the substance of government and public policy,” Willis said. “Brooks Jackson and Fact Check provide citizens with valuable information to assess the rhetoric and the claims of candidates, political parties and interest groups. We are proud to host his presentation at the University of Baltimore.”

Established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg in 1994 and funded primarily by the Annenberg Foundation, the APPC comprises a community of scholars at the University of Pennsylvania who examine public policy issues from a variety of vantage points. Its policies forbid the acceptance of funding from corporations, political parties, labor unions, lobbying groups and individuals. (More information about the APPC is available at more information on Annenberg Political Fact Check is available at

The Randolph B. Rosencrantz Memorial Fund ( was established for the School of Public Affairs to honor the life and public service of Randolph B. Rosencrantz, a legendary public servant in every capacity he served during a renowned public service career spanning four decades. The fund supports the study and promotion of civic involvement, including the annual Citizenship Forum. The second event in the forum series, held last fall, featured a discussion by Joseph Wilson, former United States ambassador to Iraq before the first Gulf War in 1991 and a noted critic of the second Bush administration. Contributions to the Rosencrantz Fund may be made to the University of Baltimore Educational Foundation.

Those interested in attending the Oct. 4 Rosencrantz Citizenship Forum with Brooks Jackson may call 410.366.7440 to register, or e-mail to . Seating is limited, and seats will be reserved on a first come, first served basis. Tickets for the 6:00 p.m. pre-event reception can also be ordered and reserved.

The University of Baltimore is a member of the University System of Maryland and comprises the School of Law, the Yale Gordon College of Liberal Arts and the Merrick School of Business.