JTI News

20 November, 2024 – Bureau Veritas joins the Journalism Trust Initiative’s global network of auditors

Bureau Veritas has joined the network of audit firms qualified to deliver the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification. Launched by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the JTI certification is an international quality standard for newsrooms that promotes reliable, transparent journalism practices that comply with rigorous ethical standards.

Over 1,700 media outlets worldwide have committed to the JTI certification process. Now, Bureau Veritas, a major international certification body, has become the 14th auditing company to join JTI’s network, a key step that will accelerate the global expansion of the JTI standard.

The certification process begins with a self-assessment and the publication of a transparency report by the media outlet in question, which then allows accreditation bodies, such as Bureau Veritas, to carry out an independent audit. After a successful external audit, the media outlet is awarded the JTI certification for two years, reinforcing the outlet's credibility with its audience and partners.

"The adoption of the Journalism Trust Initiative in 85 countries requires partners with an international reach. Partnering with Bureau Veritas will accelerate the global roll-out of the standard as a benchmark for evaluating ethical and professional journalistic practices." – Benjamin Sabbah, Director, Journalism Trust Initiative

As a leader in the testing, inspection and certification sector, Bureau Veritas has an extensive geographical presence covering major cities and remote regions alike. This unique combination of international and local expertise enables Bureau Veritas to integrate the local specificities of its clients via its network of 83,000 auditors — including 10,000 in France — who work in 159 countries.

"We are delighted to join the network of JTI certification bodies. Bureau Veritas will leverage its network of independent experts to support this standard, whose mission is in line with that of the group: building a world of trust." – Marc Roussel, Executive Vice President, Bureau Veritas France

About the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI)

Initiated in 2019 by Reporters Without Borders, JTI is a news publishing certification program based on an ISO-type standard. Requirements for news organizations to obtain the JTI certification include compliance with high levels of transparency, the implementation of professional standards and with a responsible management of editorial processes. More than 1,700 media outlets from 85 countries benchmark themselves with the JTI standard, and 75 of them obtained the JTI certification from certifying organizations like Deloitte or Bureau Veritas.

More than a sign of trustworthiness, JTI is a tool to foster or guarantee benefits for certified organizations: Microsoft’s Bing gives a boost to JTI certified sources; under the EU’s Media Freedom Act, tech companies will no longer be able to arbitrarily moderate or censor contents from JTI certified sources; and many more uses are currently under development in the fields of advertising, philanthropy, public policies, etc.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in the field of inspection, certification and laboratory testing, with a powerful mission: to shape a world of trust by ensuring responsible progress. The company aims to be its customers’ preferred partner in their quest for excellence and sustainability, and innovates to help them navigate these transitions. Created in 1828, Bureau Veritas’ 83,000 employees deliver services in 140 countries. The company’s technical experts help customers overcome challenges to quality, health and safety, environmental protection, and sustainability. Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris, the Paris stock exchange, and belongs to the CAC 40 ESG, CAC Next 20, SBF 120 indices and is part of the CAC SBT 1.5° index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

14 November, 2024 – Journalism Trust Initiative and Sveriges Tidskrifter to team up in Sweden

This new collaboration with Sweden’s largest industry organisation in the media world aims to boost the footprint of the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), the quality standard for news publishing developed by Reporters Without Borders. Safeguarding the highest quality standards within news publishing has never been more critical, even in a country often paired with high levels of trust. 

Sweden regularly tops international rankings for press freedom – 91,03 /100 in 2024 on the RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index – or for trust in news – Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2024. In such a context, Sveriges Tidskrifter and the JTI team will offer news publishers interested in reinforcing the legitimacy of their work dedicated support to start the process to become certified. 

“This collaboration highlights the importance of maintaining rigorous standards of transparency and accountability, even in one of the world’s most trusted media environments. The Journalism Trust Initiative standard is the perfect tool for Sveriges Tidskrifter to reaffirm its commitment to reliable, ethical journalism.” Benjamin Sabbah, director, Journalism Trust Initiative 

"We are proud and happy to welcome the Journalism Trust Initiative team as associate members of our organisation. Standing up for press freedom, media ethics, and working to build trust in journalism has never been more important. Through this new collaboration between our organisations, we can support each other in this crucial work.” Kerstin Neld, CEO, Sveriges Tidskrifter

Journalism Trust Initiative, the international quality standard for news publishing

Initiated in 2019 by Reporters Without Borders, JTI is a news publishing certification program based on an ISO-type standard. Requirements for news organisations to obtain the JTI certification include compliance with high levels of transparency, the implementation of professional standards and with a responsible management of editorial processes. More than 1,700 media outlets from 85 countries benchmark themselves with the JTI standard, and 70 of them obtained the JTI certification from certifying organisations like Deloitte or Bureau Veritas.

More than a sign of trustworthiness, JTI is a tool to foster or guarantee benefits for certified organisations: Microsoft’s Bing gives a boost to JTI certified sources; under the EU’s Media Freedom Act, tech companies will no longer be able to arbitrarily moderate or censor contents from JTI certified sources; and many more uses are currently under development in the fields of advertising, philanthropy, public policies, etc. Contact for the Nordics: Amélie Reichmuth, JTI representative, areichmuth-ext@rsf.org 

Sveriges Tidskrifter, Sweden’s largest industry organisation in the media industry

Sveriges Tidskrifter has 383 members who represent everything from commercial lifestyle brands to trade union newspapers and purely digital players. We pursue common issues, work with politicians on media issues, set standards, protect press ethics, educate and inspire our members and highlight good examples from the industry through experience exchanges and awards. And we know from experience that industry development must take place with broad support from the various players in the industry and linked to their needs.

4 November, 2024 – Grant opportunities for JTI the certification: confirm your media's transparency and credibility

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is offering grants to help media organizations complete the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification audit. Media that do not have the financial resources to fund the audit are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility criteria

1. Complete the JTI self-assessment and publish your transparency report on jti-app
2. Be legally established in an ODA country or in one of the eligible EU countries (list below)
3. Submit your application via the online form

Applications are assessed on a quarterly basis by RSF and by an external evaluation committee. The next evaluation committee will be meeting on November 21, 2024 and the following one in the first quarter of 2025. Each application is carefully examined to identify the most committed media outlets likely to benefit from the certification.

How to apply?

List of eligible countries :

  • List of ODA countries
  • Eligible EU countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, Portugal, media in exile from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus based in the EU

24 October, 2024 – Protecting independent journalism and the right to information in Ukraine

Read in Ukrainian / Читати українською

The conference was dedicated to discussing the recovery and strengthening of Ukraine's information ecosystem in the context of the war. Mykola Tochytskyi, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, introduced  the event and highlighted the importance of protecting the professional activities of journalists and media independence.Thibaut Bruttin, Director General of Reporters Without Borders, followed and stressed the need to support Ukrainian journalists and independent media, and the importance of quality standards in news publishing.

Lina Kushch, first secretary of National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) highlighted key challenges for the Ukrainian media landscape now, mentioning that 1 in 3 media outlets has suspended its work since the start of the full-scale invasion in spite of a strong public demand for credible, local information. They identified two requests from Ukrainian journalists: the first being a request to continue working, their activities; and the second being a request for psychological support to tackle emotional burnout.

There is an urgent need for systematic, long-term funding and strategies to ensure media sustainability and for media outlets to operate without constant uncertainty. Short-term fixes are no longer sufficient. Advocacy efforts and discussions with policymakers are underway in an effort to integrate the recovery of media into Ukraine’s broader reconstruction plans. Examples from Sweden, for instance, demonstrate how subsidies and tax systems can play a vital role: subsidizing delivery costs for media that meet certain standards; eliminating VAT on imported paper for printed media; incentivizing public institutions and businesses to advertise in local or hyperlocal media; etc.

Pauline Maufrais, manager of the Ukraine Desk at RSF, said that the NGO recently called for the creation of an International Fund for the Reconstruction of the Ukrainian Media (IFRUM) to ensure media independence and preserve the right to information. A “report found that $96 million is needed over three years to ensure that independent Ukrainian media outlets can cover their operating expenses and administrative costs.” Once launched, one of the eligibility criteria will be the news outlet’s adherence to existing ethical standards, such as the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI).

Tetiana Kurmanova, head of Hromadske Radio, said that «it is very important to stay independent, and that treating the news independently because quality is the basis [of everything we do at] Hromadske Radio.» One recent development is that they decided to close their Telegram channel because the platform poses growing risks of misinformation and disinformation as it dominates the information consumption habits. Hromadske Radio’s priority is to engage directly with its audiences, in a safer and more ethical way. Tetiana also reminded of the significant challenges faced by the organization she heads: the loss of transmission equipment worth close to USD 3 million due to Russian attacks, energy supply issues, the mobilization of many experienced journalists, the lack of institutional support, increased operational costs and a volatile advertisement market.

Angelina Soldatenko, executive director of the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI), stressed that local and hyper-local media are essential for fostering unity and rebuilding trust within war-affected and displaced communities. When insecurity and displacement prevent people from planning their future and weaken societal cohesion, media organizations can address these challenges by providing consistent, localized information to keep communities informed and united. Angelina praised the JTI certification process as a way for media to critically evaluate their transparency, financial structures, and editorial independence. The process of achieving certification encourages media to consistently reassess their policies and practices, and maintain high ethical and professional standards. She emphasized that understanding audience needs, improving engagement, and rethinking media strategies are crucial to maintain relevance and sustainability. More urgently, she also highlighted the need for systematic training for journalists, media managers and editors to adapt to new challenges and technologies (e.g., AI).

3 October, 2024 – The Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) is expanding its network of auditors in France

CEVA Solution and ICPF, ISO-17065-accredited auditing firms, can now audit news media in France, Belgium and Switzerland in order to deliver Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification - a tool initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to promote reliable journalism.

The international network of auditors able to certify media outlets to the JTI standard is expanding. CEVA Solution and ICPF have joined the ten auditors accredited to audit the media in their efforts to achieve transparency and professionalize their processes for producing reliable information. 

These audit firms operate in France, Belgium and Switzerland, where 120 media outlets have already committed to the JTI process. Of these, around fifty are at the audit stage. 

In the JTI certification process initiated by RSF, auditors can be called upon following an initial self-assessment by the media themselves, and the publication of a transparency report on their practices. 

Following this stage, the French, Belgian and Swiss media can now commission CEVA Solution and ICPF to carry out an independent audit, which will award them JTI certification for two years.

“In France, about thirty media outlets are already JTI-certified, directly or via their group, including TV channels belonging to the TF1, France Télévisions and France Médias Monde  groups, and titles from the EBRA press group. We're delighted to welcome two new auditing firms that complement each other to provide a certification offer that reflects the diversity of media profiles in France.” Benjamin Sabbah, Journalism Trust Initiative Director

Mindful that each new expense adds to a difficult economic equation for many media outlets, promoting the democratization of access to Journalism Trust Initiative certification has been a crucial issue for RSF since the launch of the standard. By partnering with two new certification firms, CEVA Solution and ICPF, and their networks of auditors, RSF is bringing together a range of certification services in line with the diversity of media sizes and business models.

“Transparency, ethics and ‘best practices’ are now promoted thanks to the Journalism Trust Initiative certification. CEVA SOLUTION was eager to be one of the certification organizations involved in this project. We are proud to be working with RSF to promote JTI.” – Monique Favre, CEVA Solution Director of Operations

“The ICPF teams, with the support of RSF, are prepared to support the development of the JTI certification in France starting immediately. In particular, by empowering as many newsrooms as possible to engage in an independent audit process, and giving them greater visibility and recognition as reliable media.” – Vincent Capoën, ICPF Managing Director

To strengthen the right to reliable information and fight misinformation, JTI was designed as a set of editorial best practices applicable to all kinds of players in the information sector: print media, TV channels, radio stations, online media and press agencies. Endorsed by media associations and agencies, and promoted by legislators, the JTI standard is included in the recommendations of France's États généraux de l’information.

RSF press release here

24 September, 2024 – Journalism Trust Initiative as a strategy for success for Canadian news publishers

The Online News Act, the so-called Bill C-18, Canada’s legislation that directs tech companies to pay news publishers, is now in its implementation phase. An opportunity to highlight the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) quality standard for news publishers as a benchmark to boost and safeguard independent, transparent and responsible journalism.

On September 24th 2024, Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières (RSF) convened members of the Canadian media, as well as industry stakeholders, for an in-depth event on strategies for future success for Canadian news publishers. JTI Regional Officer for Canada, Mitch St.Hilaire, kicked off the programme by introducing the JTI quality standard and its 18  criteria to the audience.

Next, esteemed media scholar and Chair of the Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures, Colette Brin, gave a keynote speech outlining the Board’s work, how it designates Quality Canadian Journalism Organisations (QCJOs), and added some insightful thoughts on topics including Meta’s news business, the outcomes of the recently passed Bill C-18, and potential threats and opportunities for Canadian news publishers. “We’re all going to be dealing with [...] the issue of Generative AI and how that poses a challenge in terms of producing news and restoring the audience’s trust in the news,” Brin said. “We’re seeing in recent surveys that people are not that comfortable with AI being used in journalism, but it is still early.”

The event was followed by a panel discussion with four distinguished journalists and media executives – Public Policy Forum executive director Ed Greenspon, APTN executive director of National News & Current Affairs Cheryl McKenzie, La Converse editor-in-chief Lela Savić, and CBC News senior director of innovation and partnerships Kenny Yum – with moderation by Canadian Association of Journalists president Brent Jolly.

The panelists shared how their businesses have been affected by the passage of Bill C-18. Key topics discussed included how news publishers can be innovative in 2024, how to bridge ongoing difficulties in distribution channels, trends that they are looking out for in the coming years, and potential solutions to the decline in audience trust in news publishing.

Cheryl McKenzie (APTN): “Just the power that these platforms have is a little scary for sure. At APTN we are an expression of our Indigenous identity and we just want as many people as possible to see those stories. We do want [to collaborate] with others in the media and news industry.”

Kenny Yum (CBC News): “Relationship between any public broadcaster and their audience was taken by (platform) intermediaries. The challenge is we can’t now reset the clock. When you look at the generations and rank them on performed modes of consumption, you will see the younger you go it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat while the older you go you have live television, live radio, news websites. It’s that complexity that the audience is not a monolith.”

Lela Savic (La Converse): “Innovation actually happens a lot in small publishers, local news, and hyper focused publications where we don’t have a choice but to innovate. For [La Converse] innovation has mainly been about relationship building. With C-18 we have to give ourselves grace. We are struggling with this [Meta] ban and we are trying to find ways to meet our audience. For us it’s been doing more in person events.”

Ed Greenspon (Public Policy Forum): “Trust in journalism cannot be divorced entirely from the breakdown of trust in wider society. The polarization of trust is a real problem.”

20 August, 2024 – Four more African media outlets committed to trustworthy journalism obtain JTI certification

The Nigerian news site NatureNews, the Ivorian radio station Gbêkê FM and the Senegalese news sites PressAfrik and Financial Afrik have followed Niger’s Studio Kalangou in getting certified with the Journalism Trust initiative (JTI), which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched to provide advantages to news sources that adhere to journalistic practices and ethics. More details here

1 July, 2024 – Detector Media becomes first Ukrainian outlet to obtain a JTI certification

On 31 May 2024, Ukrainian news organisation Detector Media was granted the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, an international standard of journalistic norms created by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Detector Media, both a media and an NGO, strives to improve the quality of Ukrainian news by fighting disinformation and propaganda, sharing a common goal with the JTI certification program. More details here

15 March, 2024 – Benjamin Sabbah to run RSF’s Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI)

Benjamin Sabbah, the former CEO of the English-language news site Wordcrunch, has joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) as head of the Journalism Trust Initiative media certification programme, to step up its deployment to media and information actors worldwide. More details here

13 February, 2024 – 🇨🇿 Economia, a.s. is the 1st news organization in the Czech Republic to get a JTI certification

"Credibility based on quality content is the core value ofEconomia, a.s.and its titles. TheJournalism Trust Initiativecertificate objectively proves that we are on the right path. It is a message to our readers that they can really rely on the quality of the content of our titles, which is increasingly important in a time of considerable information ballast, fake news and the growing role of AI in their generation. It is also an assurance for our advertising partners that they are working with trustworthy and professional media outlets." – Lenka Černá, CEO of Economia, a.s.

Read more in the press release and on Economia's website.

2 February, 2024 – 1,000 media outlets around the world working with JTI to restore trust in information

Radio stations, television channels, online news sites, newspapers... more than 1,000 media in 80 countries have signed up to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) to restore trust with the public. Certification underlines the transparency of the news media and respect for journalistic best practices. More details here

24 January, 2024 – European Media Freedom Act encourages the use of JTI as benchmark for identifying reliable news media

The first European legislation on media freedom, known as the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), strengthens the right to reliable information by relying in particular on the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), a standard and mechanism initiated and developed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). More details here

2023

The French TF1 group just obtained Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, based on a standard initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). This certification guarantees the commitment of the group, which includes the TF1 and LCI television channels, for the transparency of its news media and respect for journalistic ethics. More details here

On 5 December 2023, the EBRA Group obtained Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, based on a standard initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). It is the first French press group to receive this certification. The group, which includes nine regional dailies with more than 1,400 journalists, is confirming its commitment to a responsible media that respects the ethical and deontological standards of information. More details here

The international non-profit media freedom organization, Reporters Without Borders (RSF), will work with Microsoft to promote a healthier information ecosystem. Through this collaboration, RSF will help Microsoft integrate and pilot data from RSF’s Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) to various products to support and elevate news organizations that comply with JTI criteria. More details here

Colorado Public Radio (CPR) is proud to announce it is the first U.S. media outlet to be awarded a Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, an international benchmark initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to fight disinformation by rewarding editorial and professional excellence. CPR was independently audited by the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), which confirmed CPR’s certification according to the criteria of JTI’s international standard. More details here

Representing 33 countries including Canada, DRC, India or Albania, 100 media outlets embarked on a thorough internal review to self-assess their level of transparency, guarantees of editorial independence and processes. This is one necessary step prior to being awarded a conformity certification with the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), an international benchmark initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to fight disinformation by rewarding editorial and professional excellence. More details here

ABC, an independent industry-owned auditor with expertise in the fields of brand safety, ad fraud and data privacy, has become the first UK-based certifier for the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) audit. This international benchmark, developed at the initiative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is used to assess the professionalism of news publishers. More details here

Journalism is losing its competitive edge in the face of rampant disinformation, opaque algorithms and powerful tech companies that deprive it of its visibility, reach and revenue worldwide – which the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) aims to overturn. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to announce that European digital content monetisation platform, Steady is backing the JTI. More details here

Côte d'Ivoire’s Audit Board, Bureau Norme Audit (BNA), has become the first African media certifier committed to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standard. This international standard, developed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), is used to measure the trustworthiness of journalism. More details here

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) calls on European Union member states and MEPs to amend the proposed European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) so that it effectively safeguards the right to reliable news and information, especially online, and favour sustainable journalism. More details here

This crisis response mechanism will help newsrooms in at-risk markets, starting with Ukraine, to accelerate their validation according to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) and to quickly get their NewsGuard rating, thereby allowing advertisers, funders and tech companies to support endangered journalism. More details here

Bosnia-based Center for Investigative Reporting (CIN) is the first investigative media to obtain the Journalism Trust Initiative certification, confirming its ethical practices and compliance with international reliability standards. More details here

Lithuania’s public broadcaster LRT consolidates its efforts towards high ethical standards thanks to the Journalism Trust Initiative certification. 

Lietuvos nacionalinis radijas ir televizija (LRT), Lithuania’s public broadcaster, became the first public media organisation in the Baltic countries to be awarded the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification mark rewarding trustworthy journalism. LRT's compliance with the JTI standard was independently assessed by international audit firm Deloitte. More details here

Russian language channel TV Rain becomes the first media in exile to obtain the Journalism Trust Initiative. This channel has proven its independence from the Kremlin for years. This certification proves the utility of JTI in front of despotic regimes. More details here

2022

At the International Summit for Information and Democracy, that was held on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York on 22 September, the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) reached another major milestone when it won the support of 11 of the 47 signatory states of the Partnership for Information and Democracy. More details here

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has accredited the not-for-profit media auditor Alliance for Audited Media (AAM) to conduct independent audits to determine media outlets' compliance with the Journalism Trust Initiative's (JTI) standard for ethics and trustworthiness in journalism.

With the accreditation, AAM becomes the first U.S. certifier of the JTI standard in accordance with ISO/IEC 17065, Conformity assessment—Requirements for bodies certifying products, processes, and services, under JTI's certification programme scheme requirements. AAM's achievement of this accreditation will support greater trustworthiness in an era where it has become increasingly difficult to distinguish information shaped by vested interests from facts produced by independent and impartial news professionals.

The proposed European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) that was unveiled today represents an important step forward for media freedom and for the preservation of democracy and the rule of law throughout the European Union. Reporters Without Borders (RSF) hails this initiative, which incorporates many of its recommendations, and will work to improve it. More details here

TheJournalism Trust Initiative (JTI), a mechanism for promoting trustworthy journalism online that was developed at the initiative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has been incorporated into the European Union’s new Code of Practice on Disinformation. More details here

2021

The Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) was featured on a high-level panel at the Paris Peace Forum. Participants, including the European Commission’s Vice-President Vera Jourova, emphasized the importance of the Initiative to reward reliable journalism and to support a healthier information ecosystem at large. Read the RSF press release and watch the full event video.

Watch our one-hour webinar, co-produced with ReNEWS, that features colleagues from prominent news organizations around the world, like CBC/Radio-Canada, RTÉ and exit.al, sharing their experiences with JTI's web offer designed to identify and reward trustworthy news sources. Watch the full event video.

  • Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launches new web offer designed to identify and reward trustworthy news sources;
  • Media outlets can use the online app to check, disclose and promote compliance of their editorial processes with best practices;
  • The initiative represents a radical and innovative step forward in the battle against disinformation.

International non-governmental organisation Reporters Without Borders (RSF) announces today the public launch of its Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), a game-changing transparency tool designed to promote trustworthy journalism. At the core of the JTI is the self-assessment of media outlets to diagnose, optimize and promote the accuracy of their journalism, with the aim of building a healthier news ecosystem, identifying and rewarding reliable reporting and restoring audiences’ confidence in journalism at large. more details

The ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB), a wholly owned subsidiary of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), has launched a new pilot accreditation program for the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) – Certification Program. more details

It is difficult to imagine a bigger journalistic disaster than the recent decuplets story by Pretoria News, based in South Africa’s capital city. But it may present an opportunity to think anew about what could be done to address journalism’s crisis of trust" – writes Franz Krüger for The Conversation and suggest to consider the JTI as a remedy. more

RTÉ has underlined its commitment to trusted journalism with the announcement that it will be the first Irish media organisation to sign up to the global Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI). RTÉ News & Current Affairs are signing up to the JTI pledge and will begin using their online transparency tool, designed to promote trustworthy journalism. more

The Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) is supporting the media partners in South East Europe and Turkey to conduct the ethical audits – a useful tool for ensuring sustainability and competitiveness in the digital age, as well as to avoid many issues that can stem from reckless reporting. In 2020 the EJN coached and mentored several media outlets from Albania and Serbia who have shown a strong commitment to ethical standards and procedures. Eight of them finalised the 150-questions-long JTI questionnaire. more

Explaining the global JTI movement, Olaf Steenfadt, the Project Director of the JTI at Reporters Without Borders(RSF), says that ”the road-testing of our JTI questionnaire in this region is an important and encouraging experience. We see already tangible improvements in editorial processes and external transparency of participating media outlets, which is clearly a win-win for everyone involved.” 

In this 'Ethics in the News' Podcast, Olaf explains the importance of JTI and its results so far.

In early 2020, Exit.al was approached to take part in the Journalism Trust Initiative. It was hot on the heels of the Albania government passing the first draft of a law that would essentially bring all online media under the direct control and supervision of the state. This was due to Prime Minister Edi Rama had belief that the majority of online media is unethical, slanderous, “trash”, and unprofessional.

The idea of conducting the audit seemed to be perfect timing. more

2020

UNESCO and its project partner, the Ethical Journalism Network, is supporting media outlets in South East Europe to perform a self-assessment exercise. It follows the professional standards and principles of the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) and can help qualify media outlets to become a part of the media community branded as recognising the standards and benchmarks for editorial quality and management. more details

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is pleased to announce the signature of a grant agreement with the European Commission to support the implementation of its ‘Journalism Trust Initiative’ (JTI) in Europe. more details

2019

In an era of 'activist' newspapers, the need for a balanced approach has never been greater. more details

Gift from craigslist founder’s foundation to facilitate implementation of Journalism Trust Initiative. more details

If you are reading this, you may have heard something about the Journalism Trust Initiative. Maybe you saw it on the agenda of the SPJ Excellence in Journalism conference. It’s hard keeping all these misinformation-fighting efforts straight, and the ground keeps shifting. more details

The initiatives to stop the spread of disinformation abound, but the phenomenon continues to rise. It not only undermines journalism, but also people’s trust in the media, resulting in the growing problem of news avoidance. What if journalists took matters in their own hands? That’s the goal of the Journalism Trust Initiative. more details

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its partners AFP, EBU and GEN are pleased to announce the launch of a public consultation about their Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) on July 3rd. JTI aims at defining indicators for trustworthy journalism. Compliance with them is expected to provide tangible benefits for media outlets, big and small, and thus, support them to cater to a healthy information space at large. more details

The Journalism Trust Initiative, proposed and organized by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and its partners, EBU, AFP and GEN, is entering its decisive phase this week. The second out of four workshops under the European Committee for Standardization’s (CEN) rules will be hosted by UNESCO in its Paris headquarters on Tuesday, 5 February. ​more details

2018

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) deplores Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov’s criticism of the Journalism Trust Initiative at a time when the defence of trustworthy journalism – meaning journalism that is free, independent and rigorous – is a major challenge for democratic societies and humankind as a whole. ​more details

An innovative media self-regulatory initiative designed to combat disinformation online – called the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) – was launched today by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), and its partners Agence France Presse (AFP), the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the Global Editors Network (GEN). more details