Irish ‘fake news’ expert exposed as fake – media

An Irish academic who built a career studying fake news and disinformation has been caught up in a misinformation scandal over a doctorate he apparently never earned, according to an investigation by national broadcaster RTE.

Tom Felle, an associate professor and former head of journalism at the University of Galway, one of Ireland’s leading universities, was referred to as ‘Dr Tom Felle’ for years. His supposed credentials appeared on university websites, recruitment materials, and social media. In his CV and an interview with RTE last summer, Felle claimed that he earned a journalism PhD in 2022 from London’s City University, now City St George’s, where he previously worked as a senior lecturer. Its journalism department ranks among Britain’s most prestigious.

However, an RTE Prime Time investigation published on Friday found that Felle was never awarded the doctorate he claimed to hold. A former senior academic at City St George’s told the broadcaster that Felle enrolled in a PhD program but left without completing it. Felle claimed that he earned his degree through previously published research, a legitimate route involving a shorter thesis. Yet he reportedly could not recall its title or explain its absence from the university library. He also said he had no supervisor or external examiner and had never defended his thesis – all requirements for obtaining a doctorate at City St George’s.