Just months before marking its twentieth anniversary, Mongolian broadcaster NTV Television—part of Media Group LLC and a grantee of the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM)—has been awarded the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification by the international audit firm Deloitte. This represents the fourth JTI certification granted to a news organisation in the country and the first awarded to a television broadcaster, the most widely consumed medium, reaching at least 60 percent of the market.
“NTV Television’s JTI certification is a strong signal to audiences in Mongolia that rigorous, transparent and ethical journalism can thrive in a highly competitive media landscape. As the first television broadcaster in the country to obtain the certification, NTV is setting an important benchmark for the sector and demonstrating that long-standing media outlets can continue to innovate while upholding the highest professional standards. This milestone shows how JTI can serve as a trusted reference for the public and a catalyst for positive change across the media ecosystem.”
Benjamin Sabbah, Director – Journalism Trust Initiative, Reporters Without Borders
“As NTV Television marks its 20th anniversary, I am proud to say that achieving JTI certification is a clear demonstration that our firm stance on professional journalistic standards and responsible content has been validated through real work and objective evaluation. We will continue to uphold our professional principles without compromise and will re-certify our JTI standards every two years, holding ourselves to the highest expectations. At a time when public doubt about information is increasing, remaining a trusted and reliable source of information for the public is NTV Television’s most important value.”
Undrakhjargalant Batdorj, Head of News Department, NTV Television
“The fact that NTV, an IFPIM grantee and one of the leading national televisions in Mongolia, was granted JTI certification ahead of their 20-year anniversary, proves the rigor of their editorial output and should be celebrated by their broad range of audience in Mongolia. It is also a testament to NTV’s continued innovation in its editorial practices over the years. NTV is the fourth media organization in Mongolia and the first television to receive the certification. It proves that the JTI methodology fits for big and small media in various geographies. I believe this will help pave the way for more Mongolian media organizations to become JTI certified, which would be a significant catalyst for the information ecosystem in Mongolia.”
Dulamkhorloo Baatar, Founder and Chairperson of the Nest Center for Journalism Innovation and Development, a partner that provided support to RSF to introduce JTI in Mongolia
Elevating standards of news media
JTI was developed in 2019 as an ISO-type international standard by roughly 130 experts from media outlets, media regulatory bodies, media associations and digital platforms. They worked to define the criteria of transparency, independence and ethics necessary for an industry standard applicable to all types of news sources. The idea of designing a self-regulatory mechanism applicable to all news sources worldwide was the initiative of the Paris-headquartered media freedom watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF).
The JTI certification process has three stages. First, the introduction to the standard via JTI’s portal. Second, the self-evaluation by the media. Finally, as an option, the certifying audit. More than 2,400 media outlets in 127 countries use JTI. 1,460 are currently undergoing self-assessment, 830 published their transparency report, and 135 obtained JTI certification following an audit.
A lighthouse in a saturated market
“Mongolia’s media market is highly saturated with 389 registered media outlets for a population of 3.5 million,” said Dulamkhorloo Baatar, Founder and Chairperson of the Nest Center for Journalism Innovation and Development, an RSF partner that supported the adoption of JTI by over twenty news organisations. Four achieved the JTI certification: the first one being Mongolian Fact-Checking Center (which is part of the Nest Center for Journalism Innovation & Development), then newspaper Zuuniimedee, digital native news portal GoGo.mn, and national broadcaster NTV Television as the latest one (JTI certificate available here).
“With the development of social media, now coupled with AI, readers are increasingly confused about where to get the most trustworthy information, Baatar added. The Nest Center conducted a media assessment in 2025 which showed that out of the 389 media, 75 (excluding hyperlocal televisions) carry out daily journalism activities, dominantly produced by their editorial staff. This is an effort to help the public distinguish professional media organisations from others that may be less professional. In this context, JTI serves as a valuable tool to help us understand where Mongolian media lies compared to their international peers, and to identify truly trustworthy media operations that serve the public interest.”
