Journalists go to great lengths to eliminate any semblance of bias. This often entails taking precautions like not sharing too many personal details online or with sources. But of course, who we are as people affects how we do journalism — whether we’re talking openly about it or not. Our values, experiences, ethics, and surroundings all influence […]
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Grant from the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation will support Trusting News’ work on AI disclosures and ethics
The $200,000 grant will fund Trusting News’ work to develop strategies around how newsrooms can be transparent about their use of AI.
How an ecosystem approach to change in local news is benefitting news consumers in Oklahoma
Trusting News embedded in a statewide program with the Oklahoma Media Center
Meet the cohort of newsrooms working to understand audience’s perceptions of AI use in newsrooms
Congratulations to the journalists who will be working alongside Trusting News to understand what news consumers think about AI use in news
Act on on Reuters latest trust research in these 3 ways
New research from the annual Reuters Digital News Report highlights factors that influence people’s trust in news. According to the report, transparency and fairly reflecting communities in coverage are critical when it comes to being seen as a trusted news source. The study focused on eight specific factors known to affect trust, chosen by Reuters […]
Talk about your shrinking staff
Recent research released by Pew confirms that many people do not understand the financial crisis that local news is in. The survey found that most adults (63%) think their local news outlets are doing “very well or somewhat well” financially. This, of course, is far from our reality as journalists. (We all remember the bleak […]
Grant from SPJ Foundation will fund a Trust Kit for freelancers
Joy Mayer leads a workshop at the Society of Professional Journalists convention in Las Vegas in September 2023.
Journalists, address misinformation head-on
At Trusting News, we’re often asked how journalists should handle misinformation. This is not surprising, given how both the public and journalists agree it’s a major issue. But research shows that as much as journalists think it’s a problem, they rarely address it in their reporting. (In this Pew study, two-thirds said almost none of […]
Adapt your products for news avoiders in three ways
Note: This is the third installment of a three-part newsletter series on News Avoidance. Read part one, Learn about news avoiders with this guide, and part two, Tell news avoiders these things about your journalism. As journalists, our news habits are not at all normal. We tend to be tuned in all the time. We […]
Trusting News becomes independent organization
The journalism organization, founded in 2016, is applying for tax-exempt status.
Tell news avoiders these things about your journalism
Note: This is the second installment of a three-part newsletter series on News Avoidance. Read part one, Learn about news avoiders with this guide, and part three, Adapt your products for news avoiders in three ways. News avoiders often don’t see their distance from news as a problem. Not only do they not feel like […]
Learn about news avoiders with this guide
Note: This is the first installment of a three-part newsletter series on News Avoidance. Read part two, Tell news avoiders these things about your journalism, and part three, Adapt your products for news avoiders in three ways. The more people tune the news out, noting that it doesn’t feel relevant or important for their lives, […]
Resource: News avoider interview guide
Trusting News is launching a new interview guide designed to help journalists better understand and reach news voiders in their community
Don’t let your CMS be a hindrance to adding transparency
Yes, plug-ins may make it easier — but not having them shouldn’t stop you from working to build trust.
Prioritize transparency in coverage of encampments, protests
Meet the cohort of newsrooms working to create an election coverage FAQ
Congratulations to the journalists who will be working alongside Trusting News to get on the record about the process that drive their elections coverage
Copy these 5 things from Capital B’s and WITF’s election FAQs
Journalists, get inspired by how these two local newsrooms are inviting accountability and transparency into their elections coverage.
Three strategies for responding to accusations of bias
Rather than ignore accusations of bias, journalists should use them as an opportunity to both listen with humility and defend the integrity of the work.
How trustworthy is your newsroom? Use this audit to find out
We created a trust audit to help your newsroom assess and decide where you should be working to earn your community’s trust
Add transparency on air in these 4 ways
More people get news from TV than from radio or print. And when it comes to access to news across diverse communities, it’s also true that local TV is more preferred by people of color in the U.S. than newspapers or digital-first local news. It’s free, and it’s widely available. Thanks to research, we know TV newsrooms can […]
Deadline extended! Apply now to create an Election FAQ with help from Trusting News
In this program, newsrooms will work alongside Trusting News staff and a cohort of newsrooms to create an election FAQ
Meet the cohort of newsrooms working to confront news avoidance
Congratulations to these 11 journalists who will work alongside Trusting News to better understand and address news avoidance
Trusting News receives continued funding from New Pluralists
New Pluralists is a funder and field collaborative working to foster a culture of pluralism in America.
Use video to explain ballot initiatives and candidate viewpoints
Think about the election reporting you produce or consume. It probably contains information about a ballot initiative or a candidate’s views on a topic, but do you ever notice how those explanations are often woven throughout stories? They’re sandwiched between quotes and part of a larger narrative we’re telling. That’s not always bad, of course. […]
Copy PolitiFact’s approach to building trust with casual users
Something we remind newsrooms of often is that the majority of people who interact with your news are likely very casual news consumers who see just a small fraction of the work you do. You may be part of a mission-driven, ethical newsroom that regularly has internal discussions about how to provide fair, accurate coverage. But […]
Use viral photos as a chance to explain visuals
Lots of people question whether the images they see online are real or not. These concerns are not new, but with the rise of AI, this uncertainty around legitimacy has only increased. Just a few weeks ago, Kate Middleton’s altered family photo fanned major online conspiracies and a slew of misinformation about what was going on with the […]
Meet the newsrooms working to add transparency, corrections to daily coverage
Congratulations to these eight journalists who will work on either writing a corrections policy or inserting transparency into daily coverage
How journalists can better understand, confront news avoidance
We’re announcing a new opportunity for journalists to confront news avoidance this spring working alongside a cohort of newsrooms
Learn how to better cover elections through free online course through the Knight Center
New free, online course will help journalists better cover elections by centering coverage on communities and solutions
Trusting News hosting webinar, cohort to help journalists confront news avoidance
We’re announcing two new opportunities for journalists to confront news avoidance this spring
Meet the 2024 Advancing Democracy newsrooms working to transform their political coverage
We’re excited to kick off another year of the Advancing Democracy fellowship, a virtual fellowship for newsrooms to transform their political and election coverage. More than 70 journalists across 20 newsrooms will participate in this nine-month fellowship. The fellowship is run in partnership with us at Trusting News along with Hearken and Solutions Journalism Network. […]
Applications open for Trusting News research cohorts on corrections, transparency
Journalists in the cohort will work to build trust alongside other newsrooms, researchers and Trusting News staff. Each journalist will receive a $250 stipend.
Trusting News’ 2024 priorities include AI, elections, news avoidance and newsroom echo chambers
Trusting News Director Joy Mayer trains a group of Koch Fellows at the Poynter Institute in St. Petersburg, Florida, on Feb. 7, 2024. Photo by Gil Asakawa.
How newsrooms can use a checklist to avoid polarization in political coverage
Some of these Advancing Democracy newsrooms used the checklist while covering the election and politics in late 2023. The journalists were asked to take notes on which stories they used the checklist for and answer questions about any changes they made related to sourcing, language (in the story and headline) and story framing.
Replicate The NYT’s new staff bios with this guide
The New York Times is getting industry attention after announcing the rollout of their new staff bio pages, which they call “enhanced bios.” The accolades they are receiving are rightfully deserved: These bios do a great job of highlighting both the ethics and expertise of their journalists, as well as show the humanity and mission behind their […]
Explain your election coverage goals with a mission statement and FAQ page
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Counter news fatigue by explaining the value behind your journalism
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Ask your colleagues to weigh in on your stories
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Use these checklists to start (or level up) your trust building
The start of a new year usually is accompanied by a slew of new priorities, KPIs and goals for newsrooms. On top of that, it’s an election year. We know there are many things (rightfully) demanding priority and your attention. As journalists who care about building trust but who might be feeling strapped for time, we want […]
What are the impacts of newsroom training to reimagine political coverage?
News research into a joint effort from Trusting News, Hearken, Solutions Journalism shows progress with newsroom’s election coverage
How we worked alongside you to build trust this year
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Trust Tips 248: How to decide which stories to add transparency elements to
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Trust Tips 247: Ask your audience what type of climate coverage would be most useful
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Trust Tips 245: How to build trust in your coverage of conflict and war
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Trust Tips 246: Make your reporting on guns less polarizing
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Trust Tips 244: Explain what sets your coverage apart with your “About Us” page
This weekly Trust Tips newsletter shares quick, actionable tips for how journalists can earn and sustain trust. Subscribe to get it in your inbox at trustingnews.org/newsletter.
Improving climate coverage for trust and understanding
Climate change is one of the most pressing issues of our time, impacting communities and ecosystems worldwide. Yet, when it comes to climate coverage in the media, there’s a growing sense of frustration and despair among audiences.
How one TV newsroom is committing to inclusive reporting
Discussing diversity issues and working to produce news coverage that more accurately reflects and depicts what is happening in your community can be a daunting task. While this work isn’t easy, at Trusting News, we believe it’s essential if you want to build trust with your community, engage with them and keep them informed through […]
How to create an FAQ about your reporting
Answering questions and building public trust at the same time
Get on the record about how you cover democracy
Don’t give up on people who have low trust in your work
Workshop helps journalists celebrate and understand their differences
Journalists, we have to stop assuming people understand the mission, ethics and processes behind our work. We can’t let ourselves get lumped in with perceptions of “the media.” Instead, we need to actively work to ear
See how newsrooms talk publicly about improving diversity in their coverage
Talking publicly about diversity issues can be challenging. But, as with anything journalists do, actions and intentions (especially good ones) are likely to go unnoticed by news consumers.
How to engage and reach new audiences with postcards and snail mail
Listening is a crucial component when it comes to building new audiences. We have research that shows this, but it also makes sense: If journalists want to provide coverage that is relevant and useful to people they aren’t already effectively reaching, they have to first take the time to get a sense of what those people […]
Journalists from around the world are creating products to create transparency and build trust with their communities
Through the Leap innovation training program, The International Center for Journalists and Trusting News challenged journalists to answer this question: What can we build to increase trust in journalism now — and ensure misinformation and polarization do not find a foothold in future spaces?
Build trust by being real, right, objective and part of your community
When it comes to trust, local news organizations have been the bright spot for the journalism community as years of research and polling continue to show people trust in local news content more than national. For many people working in local news, that trend brings comfort, hope and sometimes makes the issue of building trust seem not […]
Make your reporting less polarizing with this Trusting News guide
We’ve worked with partner newsrooms to create and refine a tool for journalists — a checklist designed to make room in the editing process for journalists to be intentional about:
Research insights: What we learned testing an anti-polarization checklist with news consumers
If newsrooms can avoid polarizing writing and editing choices, they may be able to retain and attract more readers from the full political spectrum. That’s the thinking behind a resource Trusting News has been testing and refining.
Advice from journalists: Why and how we’re depolarizing our news
At Trusting News we wanted to see how journalists would feel after committing to using a depolarizing lens with some of their coverage for two months. Here’s what we learned: At Trusting News we rely on newsroom partners as we craft advice for journalists who want to build trust with the people they aim to […]
Step-by-step guide: How journalists can talk to people who don’t trust news (and build trust doing it)
If you’re a journalist wanting to reach more diverse audiences, especially audiences that have been historically ignored or underserved by your newsroom, a lot of that work starts with laying a foundation of trust. Without understanding the assumptions that have led to distrust and the roadblocks that exist in creating sustained relationships, it’s almost impossible for […]
Advice from journalists: Why we’ve invested in listening to people who don’t trust us
There’s no big secret when it comes to building new audiences. There’s no new beat or newsletter that can be created to undo decades of harm news organizations have caused to certain groups of people. And there’s no magic tool journalists can use that will automatically help them earn the trust of and reach their […]
Define and share your mission for covering the election
Instead of keeping all of your election planning and decision-making internal, share what you are doing publicly. Explain the focus of your stories, discuss what issues and races you are prioritizing and why, and talk about the goals of your overall coverage.
How journalism students are using audio boxes to explain their reporting process
Leigh Wright, an associate professor of journalism at Murray State University, worked with students to explain their reporting process by recording short audio clips and embedding them at the top of their stories.
Why the Keene Sentinel disabled commenting on certain Facebook posts
After noticing an uptick of inappropriate comments, personal attacks and misinformation on COVID-19-related Facebook posts, a team at the Keene Sentinel — James Rinker, the digital community engagement journalist, and Cecily Weisburgh, an executive editor — made the decision that it was time to disable comments on posts related to the pandemic.
Telling our story can have an impact on our bottom line
The work of journalists is telling other people’s stories. It’s what we do every day. Why then are we so uncomfortable telling our own stories? Maybe it’s because we learned in journalism school that it’s not about us, but about our subjects and our readers instead. Maybe we’re just shy. (I’ve heard from many of […]
Explain your goals, process and integrity when covering mass shootings
The news is tragic, and it’s unfolding in an all-too-familiar way. Innocent people have died. Society tries to make sense of the shooter’s motivation and mindset. People and organizations express outrage and sympathy. Paths forward are offered as if they’re simple solutions. Actual change and progress feel incremental or nonexistent. And journalists try to document […]
Bring more diversity to your newsroom staff with these interview questions
Whose voices are missing in your newsroom? Would you like to have them involved in sharing the stories you tell about your community? If so, does your hiring process allow you to learn about the views and experiences that inform how job candidates approach their work?
How newsrooms can better explain (and sometimes edit) wire coverage while being transparent with their audiences
If you’re a journalist who has faced criticism about national coverage published in your new products but not produced by your journalists, you’re not alone. Far from it, actually. We regularly hear from local newsrooms frustrated and overwhelmed by complaints related to the wire coverage they publish. Some local newsrooms we work with have said […]
How a large global newsroom is building trust using video, surveys, Facebook and more
It may sound simple enough: Tell your audience who you are and what you value. But for some reason, journalists and newsrooms find themselves either struggling to put those explanations into words or burying them somewhere on their website where few people find them. Two newsrooms of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (a large, international news organization) wanted […]
How one investigative news team explained their goals, mission and reporting process
We know from user research that news consumers value depth. We also know that people say they want to see evidence of fair reporting and thoughtful decision-making.
Build trust with your photos and videos
When journalists tell stories through visuals, there are a lot of options for where to turn. There are also a variety of ways to capture a photo, edit a video, and share visual content. The bottom line: A lot of decisions are made by journalists and newsrooms related to the types of visual content they […]
People don’t assume journalists have ethics. Here’s how you can highlight yours.
Do journalists have solid ethics? It’s a question that, depending on who you ask, will probably result in very different answers. Ask a room full of journalists, and they will probably say, “of course we do.” Ask a group of students (something I do often) and you’re likely to get mixed answers — eventually landing […]
Here’s what people with low trust in news learned attending a morning TV news meeting
Research with WCPO helped unlock insights into how TV news stations could rebuild trust with their audience by having them attend a morning TV news meeting.
What PolitiFact learned about making money and earning trust
When journalists practice transparency around their processes, their goals and their values, news consumers tend to respond positively. Sometimes, they even spend more money on journalism. That’s the case with an experiment we ran this summer with PolitiFact. We divided the audience of their weekly email newsletter into segments to test two things: In both […]
How can news products help build trust in news?
The latest data from Gallup shows less than four in 10 U.S. adults say they have “a great deal” (7%) or “a fair amount” (29%) of trust and confidence in the media to report the news “fully, accurately, and fairly,” while more than six in 10 have “not very much” trust (29%) or “none at all” […]
Journalists, it’s time to talk about our biases
What do journalists tend to have in common, and what about us is the same or different from the communities we serve? To put a finer point on it: Who are journalists as human beings, and how do our own experiences inform the news we produce? These questions are central to the work we’re doing […]
What does “fairness” in news stories actually look like?
News consumers often say they want stories that “just give me the facts” and “include both sides.” When asked what they’re looking for in responsible journalism, at the very top of the list for news consumers will be one word: balance. (At least, it’s at the top of the list from 81 user interviews conducted by Trusting […]
Polarizing, oversimplified reporting causes mistrust. Let’s work on that.
Journalists’ use of catch-all phrases, generalized descriptions and labels can make people feel oversimplified and placed into one-size-fits-all categories. This can be true for organizations people belong to, for religious groups, for different opinions, for causes people support, for racial groups, for age groups, for ethnic groups, etc. Rather than painting complex, nuanced pictures of […]
New research shows how journalists can connect with conservatives and right-leaning audiences
At Trusting News, rather than accepting distrust in journalism, we work to better understand it so we can help journalists actively earn trust. We believe healthy democracies depend on civic dialogue and a shared set of facts. We also believe local news can play an especially important role in bridging conversations across political divides. With […]
Reinvent your crime coverage to build trust
Do your public safety stories paint an accurate picture of life in your community? This post guides you through an assessment that will help you move toward coverage that builds trust.
Journalists, hold yourself accountable for earning the trust of BIPOC communities. This rubric will help.
In our work with newsrooms, there are ideas we recommend that are almost universally applicable when it comes to demonstrating credibility and earning trust with a community. They include doing a better job explaining journalism ethics, a newsroom’s mission, funding, the reporting process and our integrity. At Trusting News we train journalists on transparency and […]
How listening to the community transformed this Charlotte newsroom
How Ju-Don Marshall and staff at WFAE in Charlotte have helped turn the station’s operations around to be an engagement-centered newsroom.
Create an effective “About Us” page
This step-by-step guide walks newsrooms through creating an effective “About us” page that will help them earn trust and demonstrate transparency.
If you let your readers in on your process, they might just surprise you
This post was written by Newsroom partner Jennifer Hefty. Most of us have heard the chorus. You know the one I’m talking about. “How could this article be so biased?” “How could they get x, y, and z so wrong?” “Why are these reporters insisting on dividing us instead of bringing us together?” “Clearly, these […]
If you’re doing solutions journalism, don’t forget to tell your audience
If your news organization is providing your audience with the solutions journalism they want, you should make sure they know that. Trusting News can help.
Here’s what a newsroom survey reveals about the public’s confusion, frustration and trust
How one newsroom’s audience survey revealed public misunderstandings, frustrations, and curiosity about the newspaper.
We changed our approach to using mug shots online and on-air then told our community why
Here’s how partner station WCPO got on the record about the changes they made to their mugshot policy with their audience — on air and online.
‘More complete and relatable:’ What research finds about how a TV newsroom can earn trust on air
Research by Trusting News and the Center for Media Engagement found that TV newsrooms can build trust with their audiences by explaining why a story is covered.
I do Q&As with viewers on Facebook, and here’s why it’s worth it
Here’s how Mike Canan at WCPO hosts AMAs (also called ask me anythings) with their station’s TV viewers on Facebook.
Investigative team’s “trust nuggets” inject transparency into long stories
How one investigative newsroom team strategically employed ‘trust nuggets’ to inject transparency into their stories and build trust.
“Explain your process” box improves perceptions of news organization
A new study from the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin found adding a box explaining your story process can improve a user’s perceptions of a news organization. The research was done on behalf of Trusting News and completed this month. The goal of the testing was to see whether adding explanations […]
