Real-time fact-checking took a bit of a back seat during CBS’ Vice Presidential candidate debate between Tim Walz and J.D. Vance due to the network's use of QR codes. 

This is a step down from the real-time fact-checking ABC conducted during its Presidential debate between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump -- where ABC anchor David Muir made headlines by shooting back on claims Trump made with regard to Haitian immigrants eating pets in Springfield, Ohio.

CBS did not do any of that real time fact-checking during the Vice Presidential debate -- believing on-screen QR codes would take interested multitasking viewers to check on information.

At press time, those results are not known.

Still, for consumers, going offscreen through other media/devices can be cumbersome and of course, less impactful.

This strikes at the heart of what real-time video -- and efforts of traditional, straight-ahead journalists (who are moderators at debates) do. Their job is to question, identify and rectify errors -- and in this Presidential race, obvious errors.

There has been criticism from observers that this should not be done. Former President Trump made complaints about ABC’s David Muir at the last Presidential debate. More traditionalists believe any interaction by a moderator disrupts the rules of a proper, traditional “debate.”

But when it comes to TV-focused Presidential politics, think about this more as an obvious PR riff for candidates -- not as a traditional debate with very formal rules.

It’s TV first and foremost. However, candidates do need to make real-time adjustments and shifts when it comes to policy and alternative arguments.

Perhaps that is why former attorney general and district attorney and now Presidential candidate Kamala Harris -- who has lots of trial-room experience -- wants another crack at Trump in another debate. The general consensus was that she did exceptionally well in the first event.

Critics would argue that while Muir, as a journalist, did well in offering “fact-checking” for Trump’s wild claims, perhaps he should the same for Harris -- even if there were minor factual errors. 

CBS wanted to make it easier -- an even playing field as much as possible. Norah O’Donnell, the anchor of “CBS Evening News” and Margaret Brennan, host of “Face the Nation” of the debate event performed a straight ahead job as moderators. 

So the only way to get on that even playing field was with QR codes. 

This doesn’t mean each candidate can’t do their own real-time fact-checking of each other. But that addition, comes with an obvious vested interest.

The bottom line is that TV always offers up major impact and immediacy with content -- stuff that shows the truth as well as crap.

It’s better to have a complete picture from all sides. Let real-time video do its thing.