CBS News has named Rhona Tarrant as the Executive Editor of CBS News Confirmed, a new department at the network focused on combatting disinformation.
The outlet fast-tracked the debut of the unit as the 2024 election season begins to take shape. The growth of deep-fake AI videos and easily-created photos was an important sector for the network to combat.
“Rhona Tarrant is one of the leading journalists and editors working in and breaking new ground in the area of verifying information,” said Senior Vice President Claudia Milne. “She has developed new tools to uncover misinformation and disinformation and has worked across multiple platforms. Her experience and leadership will be an asset to CBS News Confirmed.”
“The rise of generative AI and online misinformation has made the role of journalists more critical than ever,” said Tarrant. “I am thrilled to join the exceptional team at CBS News to lead this new unit dedicated to visual verification and fact-checking. Together, we’ll support CBS News’ unwavering commitment to journalistic excellence and empower our audience to sort fact from fiction.”
Rhona Tarrant joins the network from Storyful, where she led a team of digital fact-checkers, tasked with verifying social media video clips that garnered attention. One of the outlets she served was CBS News at her previous job.
Other stops include WNYC in New York, and a long stint at RTÉ Radio and Television in Dublin, Ireland.
Tarrant will begin her duties on Monday, April 1st. The news of Tarrant’s hiring was first reported by Deadline.
