I think you got a number of rational responses to your OP. Problem is two fold. The author who wrote an OPINION piece offered no FACTS to check in his premise. He presented a few statistical statistics but did not appear to even make an attempt to try to support his basic premise. There are a number of other essays who take the other side of this ongoing issue, I also might ask if you read this gentleman background, and a few of his statements, but that is for another day I suppose.

Fact checking is in the eye of the beholder any more. I suggest, since you have interest that you might read this study which is taking place because of the fallacy of fact checking in todays age,

Getting it Right: Fact-Checking in the Digital Age - American Journalism Review