Can fact-checking become a game? RTBF thinks so
How do you teach young audiences to recognise misinformation in a world where information is everywhere? RTBF explored this challenge through the Fact-check Awards a format designed specifically for teenagers and young adults. Developed by RTBF’s news department, the initiative takes an unusual approach by turning media literacy and information verification into a game-based experience.
Reaching young audiences through games and competition
Misinformation continues to spread online, while younger audiences encounter more and more information through social media platforms. RTBF started from one central question: How do we teach young audiences about misinformation?
Instead of approaching the topic through explanatory journalism alone, the team decided to combine the worlds of news and gaming. The result became the Fact-check Awards, a competition where students participate in challenges around general knowledge, AI and fact checking while progressively building skills that help them navigate today’s information landscape. Beyond simply testing knowledge, the format aims to help young audiences develop practical news reflexes: learning how to verify information, understanding manipulation techniques and recognising misinformation patterns. The format targets teenagers between 12 and 20 years old, while the contestants themselves are secondary school students around 15–16 years old competing in teams representing their schools.
Creating a story world around fact-checking
Within the format, students enter a fictional academy designed to train a new generation of misinformation fighters. Participants are guided by recurring characters throughout the experience: Professor Faky acts as the guardian of trusted information, while presenters Laura Jadot and Pierre Galhaut help participants navigate the different challenges.
The Fact Check Awards RTBF, 2026
Teams progress through three different stages. The first stage takes place in the classroom, where students compete in front of classmates and answer questions related to topics such as fact checking, AI and general knowledge. The second stage moves the students to the school gymnasium, where they’re introduced to physical challenges alongside knowledge-based activities to create a more dynamic experience. Finally, the two strongest teams reach the grand finale in the television studio, where they compete for the ultimate prize: the Fact-check Awards trophy and a trip to visit France Télévision in Paris.
Between these challenges, short dynamic videos are integrated into the programme to explain practical topics, such as recognising misinformation techniques, identifying fake news signals and developing critical habits for evaluating information online. Instead of interrupting the programme flow, these educational moments become part of the overall story world.
Extending the experience beyond television
Engagement extended beyond the television screen itself. Schools and participants began sharing RTBF’s content through their own social media channels and communities, which allowed the Fact-check Awards to spread naturally among classmates, teachers and families. This created additional visibility and reach beyond the direct audience of the programme.
Although teenagers were the primary target group, the format also proved to be relevant for teachers and parents. By focusing on media literacy through entertainment, the project opened conversations across different generations. RTBF also indicated that the format continues to evolve with additional short-form videos that are designed for platforms such as TikTok and Instagram.
To support this broader reach and experimentation, production efficiency also played an important role in the format's development. The Fact-check Awards follows a digital-first production approach that relies on a small production team. School recordings are produced with lightweight crews, rather than large television productions, limiting resources and costs while maintaining flexibility, speed and improving scalability of the format.
As the format had only been live for around one month, RTBF was still in the early stages of evaluating its long-term impact and performance. However, the first signals were already encouraging. The first TikTok video reached nearly 900,000 views, while television performance was slightly above the usual results. On digital platforms, RTBF observed an even stronger performance, with streaming results on Auvio exceeding the organisation’s typical content.
Beyond the numbers, the team also received positive feedback from younger audiences and teachers. While still early, the response suggested that audiences connected with the format’s combination of competition, entertainment and practical media literacy skills.
Key takeaways for media organisations
What happens when you combine fact-checking, competition and storytelling? The Fact-check Awards offers several lessons for media organisations trying to make complex topics more engaging:
- Media literacy doesn’t need to feel educational. By turning fact-checking into an interactive experience, complex topics become more accessible and engaging for younger audiences.
- Game mechanics can strengthen participation. Competition, progression and storytelling encourage audiences to actively engage, rather than passively consume, information.
- Think beyond the programme itself. Schools, communities and participants can become natural amplifiers that extend the reach of content.
- Smaller production models can create huge impact. Lightweight and digital-first production approaches make experimentation easier and more scalable.
Rather than creating a traditional educational format about fake news, The Fact-check Awards shows how complex topics can become more accessible and engaging for younger audiences without losing their educational value.
