Portugal Eyes Unified Lusa–RTP Fact-Checking Platform to Combat Disinformation

Portugal’s public media landscape could soon adopt a single fact-checking powerhouse, if the government’s latest plan materialises. Officials argue that bringing together Lusa’s verification desks with RTP’s broadcast reach would create a faster, more visible shield against online disinformation, mirroring alliances already seen across Europe. Yet key questions—financing, legal safeguards, editorial independence—still hang in the air.

Snapshot

• Who is pushing? Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro.

• What is on the table? A joint Lusa–RTP fact-checking tool inspired by the Spanish EFE–RTVE model.

• Why now? A surge in manipulated content ahead of local and European ballots.

• What we don’t know: budget, governance architecture, rollout calendar.

A Pitch for Shared Muscles

Standing before Parliament this week, Leitão Amaro framed the proposal as a way to avoid “two state-funded teams competing for the same truth.” Instead, a single public platform could pool reporters, data analysts and AI-driven search tools. The minister cited early internal studies suggesting that overlapping efforts cost “hundreds of thousands of euros” annually without significantly widening audience reach.

How the Tool Might Work

Developers at Lusa Verifica—the agency’s existing service—say their current workflow could serve as the project’s backbone:

Claim harvesting through social-media scraping and political-debate monitoring.

Cross-checking against official databases, academic research and ground reporting.

Labeling results “True,” “False,” or “True, but…” before distribution.

RTP engineers would graft the engine onto the broadcaster’s news apps, live graphics and on-demand library, placing real-time verdicts on screen while debates unfold.

Lessons from Across the Border

Spanish public media adopted a similar path in 2025, when EFE Noticias and RTVE launched a joint verification desk ahead of regional elections. According to Madrid’s Ministry of Culture, the move cut duplication costs by 27 % and doubled audience recognition of the “Verifica RTVE” label. Brussels also nudged the effort: EU grants within the EDMO network reward cross-border fact-checking.

Support, Skepticism and What Experts Say

Few domestic watchdogs have publicly opposed the plan, but some editors worry that a single, state-backed label could be perceived as “official truth.” Media-law professor Mafalda Seixas warns that “centralisation may introduce subtle political pressure—even if unintentional.” Conversely, digital-rights NGO D3 – Defesa dos Direitos Digitais applauds the prospect of open-source methodologies and hopes the tool’s codebase will be published on GitHub for civic audit.

The Missing Pieces: Money and Mandates

While the government confirmed an equity boost for Lusa this year—earmarked for newsroom tech—no dedicated budget line for the joint platform has surfaced. Insiders privately estimate a €1 M to €1.5 M launch cost, including cloud infrastructure and staff retraining. Lawyers also flag the need for a formal service-level agreement defining veto powers if either newsroom questions a verdict.

What Comes Next

The proposal now moves to a working group featuring Lusa’s chair Joaquim Carreira, RTP’s CEO Hugo Figueiredo and representatives from the Regulatory Authority for the Media (ERC). A preliminary roadmap is expected before summer. If approved, Portugal could join the growing club of European nations where public broadcasters act as a first line of defence against digital falsehoods—just in time for the next wave of elections.

Key Takeaways for Residents in Portugal

• Expect a more visible fact-check label on nightly newscasts and push notifications.• Greater transparency hinges on how openly the tool’s methodology is published.• The success—or failure—of this collaboration may shape future media-tech mergers in the public sector.• For educators and civic groups, a unified platform could become a teaching resource against misinformation, provided it remains truly independent.