I know what I've seen and heard and I won't be gaslit.
On a side-note: If you listen to the news, MOST of what they are reporting is what somebody said, essentially. If they present the fact that somebody said something, that IS the news.
First paragraph (completely fictional example):
The Grand Pooh of Transintania, in a speech televised this morning from his capital office, said in a warning to all citizens that Transintania will be invaded by murderous crickets from outer space Tuesday evening sometime after dark.
What's the news in this completely fictional example? If you tell me that the news is that Transintania will be invaded by murderous crickets from outer space Tuesday evening sometime after dark, you're not really qualified to explain what "news" is. The "news" is, "The Grand Pooh of Transintania said..."
There's more questions to ask, and more to dig up, and that's also journalism, but it's not "news" unless it explains, corrects, or casts further light on the first report--that the Grand Pooh of Transintania said what he said. That kind of journalism, to be honest and ethical, has to be accurate and truthful or be subject to retraction, or ridicule, or both.
There might be plenty of commentary, spin, investigation, speculation on what he said, and probably why. And a lot of that may be public, but it's not "news".
The good people of Transintania would probably be right to question what he said. Especially if, by sunrise Wednesday morning, murderous crickets from outer space had not arrived. But they would probably be wrong to question that he said it, given that so many people listened to his speech. And these days, there will soon be 1013 videos on Transintaniatube with 757 mutually exclusive theories about why the murderous crickets did not arrive, why the Grand Pooh made the statement, whether the Grand Pooh made the statement at all, and any other related topic that will get clicks.
Unless, of course, the murderous crickets did arrive at the appointed time---but they were invisible. (eerie synth music) I speak as a fool.