> It is shocking to me that some people actually prefer to rely on "fact checkers," as if those people are somehow more intelligent, and less biased than the readers themselves.

In the large majority of topics, there exist huge numbers of people who are far more expert than I am. I don't just prefer expert "fact checkers" in fields like medicine, law, science, plumbing, wiring, etc., I depend on them. Similarly, there are certainly journalists who have much more time and experience when it comes to these topics than I have.