The Journalism Trust Initiative aims at a healthier information space.
It is developing indicators for trustworthiness of journalism and thus, promote and reward compliance with professional norms and ethics.
JTI is led by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in partnership with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the Global Editors Network (GEN) and Agence France Presse (AFP).
The Problem
No level playing field for
journalism vs. ‘F*ke News’
We live in an era of the grand de-enlightenment.
On the Internet, algorithms tend to amplify the extremes – sensationalism, rumours, hate and falsehoods. Opinion and beliefs trump facts. The rule-makers in big-tech are not accountable to anyone. The rules of the game are in- transparent and change all the time.
On this rocky, tilting and ever turning playing field, journalism is unfairly disadvantaged, losing reputation, reach and revenues – which renders it even less competitive.
That logic needs to be reversed. Democracy dies without a fact-based discourse.
The Solution
Empowering trustworthy news with a competitive advantage
Journalism worthy of its name must be clearly distinguishable, by humans and by algorithms. That’s why JTI is translating mostly existing professional norms into machine-readable code.
At the manufacturing level of journalism, benchmarks of quality and independence must be transparent and verifiable to reinstate trust.
To that end, JTI provides indicators for media outlets to self-assess and comply with – and for citizens, advertisers and regulators to reward it.
JTI is not ranking or rating individual pieces of content as such a mechanism might be misused to curtail the freedom of speech.
The Process
Standard setting as an open, inclusive, tested and scalable approach
JTI is a collaborative standard setting process according to the guidelines of CEN, the European Committee for Standardization.
More than 120 experts have contributed to this CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) that was finally published on 19 December, 2019.
Your Participation
Workability in real life is key
Therefore JTI depends on your input.
Between July and October, 2019 we had invited both the general public and professional communities to participate in a public consultation and to comment on the proposed JTI indicators. All feedback that we gratefully received was discussed, and many of those changes made it into the final document.
Afterwards, we’ll keep the conversation going as, by design, every standard is being frequently reviewed after publication.
> Want to read the standards document?
> Tell us what you think?
Here you go:
JTI is for...
Media outlets
– that can self-assess compliance with the JTI standard and then get independently certified.
Social media and search platforms
– that can use JTI data to promote conforming sources.
Every citizen
– who can use JTI indicators for an informed choice of his or her news diet.
Advertisers
– that can use JTI to align their spending and thus, enhance brand safety.
Regulators
– that can use JTI as an independent, self-regulatory mechanism to allocate subsidies and benefits to media outlets.
Media Development actors
– that can use JTI as a means to select and evaluate projects.
Noteworthy in a number of ways, timing for example.
However the most relevant question IMO is not „how the payment scheme will work“ but how the selection process will work?
@campbell_brown
#journalismtrustinitiative #DSA t.co/H3VBA6LlKe
Facebook reveals plan to pay UK news publishers for content - Journalism News from HoldtheFrontPage t.co/ueeh1zGGg1
Happy #SocialMediaDay!
Misinformation is 👎 #standardization has its role in prevention👍
☑️December 2019 - #CEN Workshop on #JournalismTrustInitiative publishes its CWA 17493.
Freely available: t.co/BxTuU3qe56
#TakeCareBeforeYouShare
#smday2020 #trustjournalism t.co/s5kPCAyeIo
There has never been a more urgent need for an internet free of false or misleading information than during the #coronavirus pandemic.
On today's World Social Media day, we join the @UN with this message:
Pause. #takecarebeforeyoushare t.co/mEbBn7imU5
@JoanBarata @daphnehk For example through the #journalismtrustinitiative
✅ Self-regulatory industry standard;
✅ Certifiable > added external accountability;
✅ Machine-readable > algorithmic interoperability;
⁉️ Co-regulatory framework > obligation of due prominence; #DSA
t.co/7xVoqUUvAn
@dangillmor - emphasize the need for a set of indicators self-governed by the journalistic community, plus a respective co-regulatory framework for due prominence provided by platforms.
#journalismtrustinitiative #DSA
t.co/7xVoqUUvAn
@Detox_Facebook @SpeakerPelosi We are saying: advertisers should use their ‘tremendous leverage’ to force social media companies to incentivize and reward trustworthy journalism at the same time!
#journalismtrustinitiative
@nandoodles - and, in doing so: „How can we actively contribute to a healthy, functioning society?“ (instead of fuelling its collapse)
#journalismtrustinitiative