Newsroom 2018: "Trust Tips" Newsletter

Themes:
No one is expecting things to be “normal” for the remainder of 2020, and the upcoming election is no exception. As I talk to friends and family, they have a lot of anxiety and concerns ahead of Election Day due to all the unknowns surrounding it. And it makes sense — this election looks very different from previous elections. As journalists, we obviously can’t quell all unknowns. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have some future vision, though?) But what we can do is help manage our audience’s expectations for election night and beyond. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here
No one is expecting things to be “normal” for the remainder of 2020, and the upcoming election is no exception. As I talk to friends and family, they have a lot of anxiety and concerns ahead of Election Day due to all the unknowns surrounding it. And it makes sense — this election looks very different from previous elections. As journalists, we obviously can’t quell all unknowns. (Wouldn’t it be nice if we could have some future vision, though?) But what we can do is help manage our audience’s expectations for election night and beyond. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here
Themes:
  • How News Works
    • As journalists, it’s not our job to protect the public from information that is hard to hear or might increase their stress. But it is worth considering whether our journalism contributes to or assuages their anxiety. We can choose to air a highlight reel of chaos, or we can choose to provide calm, measured context. As this year’s election unfolds, that means reminding the public what we expect to see, what is unusual, what safeguards are in place, how long it will likely take for votes to be counted and what they can do to protect their own vote and stay informed. A significant chunk of your audience is probably exhausted by news coverage. Back in February, a Pew Research Center survey showed that two-thirds of U.S. adults are worn out by the news. And it’s fair to say the volume of news hasn’t decreased this year! So, how can journalists respond to that mood in a way that respects the experience of consuming their product? In a crowded, exhausting information landscape, how can your journalism stand out as a responsible, important part of your audience’s information diet? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    As journalists, it’s not our job to protect the public from information that is hard to hear or might increase their stress. But it is worth considering whether our journalism contributes to or assuages their anxiety. We can choose to air a highlight reel of chaos, or we can choose to provide calm, measured context. As this year’s election unfolds, that means reminding the public what we expect to see, what is unusual, what safeguards are in place, how long it will likely take for votes to be counted and what they can do to protect their own vote and stay informed. A significant chunk of your audience is probably exhausted by news coverage. Back in February, a Pew Research Center survey showed that two-thirds of U.S. adults are worn out by the news. And it’s fair to say the volume of news hasn’t decreased this year! So, how can journalists respond to that mood in a way that respects the experience of consuming their product? In a crowded, exhausting information landscape, how can your journalism stand out as a responsible, important part of your audience’s information diet? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • How do you decide what to cover? How do you work to be fair? What sources do you trust? When it comes to elections coverage, the kind of transparency we advocate for is especially important. You’re working (really hard, we imagine) to provide a public service and contribute to a healthy democracy, and your audience should know that. Take some inspiration from this FAQ that Colorado Public Radio put together about election coverage. We’ll share some highlights here, but the whole thing is recommended reading. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    How do you decide what to cover? How do you work to be fair? What sources do you trust? When it comes to elections coverage, the kind of transparency we advocate for is especially important. You’re working (really hard, we imagine) to provide a public service and contribute to a healthy democracy, and your audience should know that. Take some inspiration from this FAQ that Colorado Public Radio put together about election coverage. We’ll share some highlights here, but the whole thing is recommended reading. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Many of you probably get accused of having a liberal bias — of publishing more “negative” content about conservative politicians and of reporting more favorably on progressive ideas and candidates. I’m guessing you probably want your audience to know you work hard to be fair. And I am guessing you stand behind your coverage. If so, where’s your evidence? Remember, it’s reasonable for news consumers to be frustrated by partisan information, overwhelmed with choices and confused about what news to trust. It’s laudable for them to ask you to provide evidence of your credibility. Their skepticism and caution are appropriate. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Many of you probably get accused of having a liberal bias — of publishing more “negative” content about conservative politicians and of reporting more favorably on progressive ideas and candidates. I’m guessing you probably want your audience to know you work hard to be fair. And I am guessing you stand behind your coverage. If so, where’s your evidence? Remember, it’s reasonable for news consumers to be frustrated by partisan information, overwhelmed with choices and confused about what news to trust. It’s laudable for them to ask you to provide evidence of your credibility. Their skepticism and caution are appropriate. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    Political polls are a lot to navigate: There are new ones continually. They seem to contradict each other. It’s hard to know which ones to trust, or if we should even bother paying attention. As journalists, we learn how much credence to give polls. We learn to look for independence in the pollsters (financial and political). We inspect their methodology. But are you explaining any of that? Doing so could build trust in your methods and can also help your audience be more educated consumers of polling data. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Political polls are a lot to navigate: There are new ones continually. They seem to contradict each other. It’s hard to know which ones to trust, or if we should even bother paying attention. As journalists, we learn how much credence to give polls. We learn to look for independence in the pollsters (financial and political). We inspect their methodology. But are you explaining any of that? Doing so could build trust in your methods and can also help your audience be more educated consumers of polling data. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
    • During election season, people can be inundated with political advertisements — from candidates, parties, PAC’s and other groups. If you publish or air any of these ads (which most news organizations do) you probably have received complaints about them from your users. Some may be confused as to why this is showing up on your station. Others may be upset about the content inside the ads. And they might be jumping to incorrect or unfair conclusions about you. While some people may understand that your news organization is airing or publishing the ads just as you would with any other business (a car dealership or ice cream shop), too many people don’t actually understand how it works. They may have questions like: Why are you choosing to run ads from certain groups? Are the ads edited or changed before you air or publish them? Do you get the final say in what you publish/air? Is anyone fact-checking them? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    During election season, people can be inundated with political advertisements — from candidates, parties, PAC’s and other groups. If you publish or air any of these ads (which most news organizations do) you probably have received complaints about them from your users. Some may be confused as to why this is showing up on your station. Others may be upset about the content inside the ads. And they might be jumping to incorrect or unfair conclusions about you. While some people may understand that your news organization is airing or publishing the ads just as you would with any other business (a car dealership or ice cream shop), too many people don’t actually understand how it works. They may have questions like: Why are you choosing to run ads from certain groups? Are the ads edited or changed before you air or publish them? Do you get the final say in what you publish/air? Is anyone fact-checking them? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    When we begin work with a newsroom or journalist, we often start by asking: What gets in the way of trust with your specific audience? The themes we see nationally (here’s a slide deck of national research) often show up locally, but there are usually misassumptions, complaints or frustrations specific to a local relationship and community. We take those themes and look for what we think of as information gaps, or opportunities to earn trust. What do people not understand about our ethics, our motivation for doing the work, our processes and our business? Where is an opportunity for us to earn trust by explaining those things? After all, if we’re losing credibility because people don’t understand what we do, whose responsibility is it to fill in those information gaps? Who’s going to solve that problem if not us? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    When we begin work with a newsroom or journalist, we often start by asking: What gets in the way of trust with your specific audience? The themes we see nationally (here’s a slide deck of national research) often show up locally, but there are usually misassumptions, complaints or frustrations specific to a local relationship and community. We take those themes and look for what we think of as information gaps, or opportunities to earn trust. What do people not understand about our ethics, our motivation for doing the work, our processes and our business? Where is an opportunity for us to earn trust by explaining those things? After all, if we’re losing credibility because people don’t understand what we do, whose responsibility is it to fill in those information gaps? Who’s going to solve that problem if not us? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    As election season quickly approaches, there is a lot of information (and misinformation) floating around. So have you asked your audience what they might be confused about when it comes to participating in the upcoming election? Maybe you’ve posted to Twitter or Facebook asking users to share general questions or thoughts related to the election, which is one avenue for getting feedback or story ideas. But another great way to open up a conversation with your audience and remind them you’re a community resource is to ask for specific questions — and then answer those questions in real-time. Because of all the recent confusion and conflicting information surrounding voting by mail, staff at The Fulcrum decided they wanted to provide clarity around the issue. So reporters Sara Swann and Bill Theobald hosted a Reddit AMA, or Ask Me Anything, where they asked their readers what questions they had about voting by mail and voting in general during COVID times. The duo ended up responding to dozens of thoughtful reader questions, ranging from how long it could take to get results to what protocols are being put into place to safeguard the voting by mail process. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    As election season quickly approaches, there is a lot of information (and misinformation) floating around. So have you asked your audience what they might be confused about when it comes to participating in the upcoming election? Maybe you’ve posted to Twitter or Facebook asking users to share general questions or thoughts related to the election, which is one avenue for getting feedback or story ideas. But another great way to open up a conversation with your audience and remind them you’re a community resource is to ask for specific questions — and then answer those questions in real-time. Because of all the recent confusion and conflicting information surrounding voting by mail, staff at The Fulcrum decided they wanted to provide clarity around the issue. So reporters Sara Swann and Bill Theobald hosted a Reddit AMA, or Ask Me Anything, where they asked their readers what questions they had about voting by mail and voting in general during COVID times. The duo ended up responding to dozens of thoughtful reader questions, ranging from how long it could take to get results to what protocols are being put into place to safeguard the voting by mail process. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    Consuming news has felt especially challenging these days. Not only are the news events themselves hard to digest, but we’re also at a level of total information overload. Mix that with widely shared conspiracy theories and politicized public health information and you get a confusing and overwhelming output of news circulating on social media feeds. And man, sometimes it can be really hard to tell which of that content is real, agenda-driven or altogether untrue. Even as a trained journalist and a self-described skeptic, I’ve been duped by seemingly credible articles shared by friends or family, or doctored screenshots of the president’s tweets that at first glance were really believable. So think about how frustrating it must be for folks who are trying to get good, accurate information about their communities but don’t have the knowledge or training to decipher what’s credible information and what’s not? And how can we expect that same audience to trust the news we’re producing when there is indeed bad information out there that shouldn’t be trusted? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Consuming news has felt especially challenging these days. Not only are the news events themselves hard to digest, but we’re also at a level of total information overload. Mix that with widely shared conspiracy theories and politicized public health information and you get a confusing and overwhelming output of news circulating on social media feeds. And man, sometimes it can be really hard to tell which of that content is real, agenda-driven or altogether untrue. Even as a trained journalist and a self-described skeptic, I’ve been duped by seemingly credible articles shared by friends or family, or doctored screenshots of the president’s tweets that at first glance were really believable. So think about how frustrating it must be for folks who are trying to get good, accurate information about their communities but don’t have the knowledge or training to decipher what’s credible information and what’s not? And how can we expect that same audience to trust the news we’re producing when there is indeed bad information out there that shouldn’t be trusted? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • How do you describe conspiracy theories like QAnon to your audience? How about candidates for office who amplify or adhere to those theories? This is tricky territory for journalists. As the American Press Institute’s Susan Benkelman wrote last week: If you are in the business of trying to publish what’s true, how do you treat things that are untrue without amplifying them? When is the right time to write about them and what is the right way to describe them accurately? How do you decide which ones are not worth debunking and which are? In an age of social media, how do you do all this without inadvertently encouraging the spread of falsehoods? Benkelman’s piece is full of concrete advice and example language to use when making coverage decisions about dangerous, false messages. (As a reminder, Trusting News is a project of both API and the Reynolds Journalism Institute.) The piece also links to a running list of congressional candidates who have embraced QAnon’s messaging, sorted by state. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    How do you describe conspiracy theories like QAnon to your audience? How about candidates for office who amplify or adhere to those theories? This is tricky territory for journalists. As the American Press Institute’s Susan Benkelman wrote last week: If you are in the business of trying to publish what’s true, how do you treat things that are untrue without amplifying them? When is the right time to write about them and what is the right way to describe them accurately? How do you decide which ones are not worth debunking and which are? In an age of social media, how do you do all this without inadvertently encouraging the spread of falsehoods? Benkelman’s piece is full of concrete advice and example language to use when making coverage decisions about dangerous, false messages. (As a reminder, Trusting News is a project of both API and the Reynolds Journalism Institute.) The piece also links to a running list of congressional candidates who have embraced QAnon’s messaging, sorted by state. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
    • We talk about how elections work all the time in our reporting, but do you ever notice how a lot of those explanations are often woven into the middle of stories? They’re sandwiched between good quotes and are part of a larger tale we’re telling. That’s not always bad, of course. A good story that has characters and is engaging can grab people’s attention and keep them reading or watching or listening. But, does it help them understand the topic we are covering in the best way? While trying to tell a story, are we providing them with the basic definitions and explanations they need to really understand the story in the first place? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    We talk about how elections work all the time in our reporting, but do you ever notice how a lot of those explanations are often woven into the middle of stories? They’re sandwiched between good quotes and are part of a larger tale we’re telling. That’s not always bad, of course. A good story that has characters and is engaging can grab people’s attention and keep them reading or watching or listening. But, does it help them understand the topic we are covering in the best way? While trying to tell a story, are we providing them with the basic definitions and explanations they need to really understand the story in the first place? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • At Trusting News, we’re often asked by newsrooms how we know our strategies work. It’s an important question. We’re always happy to point to examples of what newsrooms say is effective but we’re also especially grateful when we have the chance to work with academic researchers. Through a series of focus groups, 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, providing additional resources at the end of stories and inviting audience participation. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    At Trusting News, we’re often asked by newsrooms how we know our strategies work. It’s an important question. We’re always happy to point to examples of what newsrooms say is effective but we’re also especially grateful when we have the chance to work with academic researchers. Through a series of focus groups, 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, providing additional resources at the end of stories and inviting audience participation. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Engaging with Users
    • At Trusting News, we think it’s vitally important that our industry understand people’s perceptions of journalism and the climate in which our work is consumed. Only when we do that can we proactively correct the narrative around our work. Thanks to researchers, we’re able to point to data, not just gut feelings, when we try to make sense of what people think of us and our work. We’ve pulled together a few key facts about how news is perceived. We hope this will be useful as you consider your election coverage. You can find more curated facts about trust in news in this slide deck. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    At Trusting News, we think it’s vitally important that our industry understand people’s perceptions of journalism and the climate in which our work is consumed. Only when we do that can we proactively correct the narrative around our work. Thanks to researchers, we’re able to point to data, not just gut feelings, when we try to make sense of what people think of us and our work. We’ve pulled together a few key facts about how news is perceived. We hope this will be useful as you consider your election coverage. You can find more curated facts about trust in news in this slide deck. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • Journalists like certainty. They like to ask questions and provide answers. But what should they do about the questions they can’t get answers to — either because the information isn’t available or because the questions are unanswerable? A common practice is to address what is known and leave out what is unknown. But that’s not always the best option when it comes to building trust. We know that when news consumers don’t understand the choices journalists make, the conclusions they reach are often not flattering ones. They’re not giving us the benefit of the doubt. Instead, they sometimes assume an agenda that involves highlighting some facts or story angles and purposefully suppressing others. Think about all the times you see comments like, “of course they won’t tell us that part of the story …” or “they must not want us to know …” By being upfront about things that aren’t yet known, journalists can remove some of that speculation and assure their audiences they’re continuing to ask the important questions. This is especially important when covering big, controversial stories — like elections, public health crises and protests. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    Journalists like certainty. They like to ask questions and provide answers. But what should they do about the questions they can’t get answers to — either because the information isn’t available or because the questions are unanswerable? A common practice is to address what is known and leave out what is unknown. But that’s not always the best option when it comes to building trust. We know that when news consumers don’t understand the choices journalists make, the conclusions they reach are often not flattering ones. They’re not giving us the benefit of the doubt. Instead, they sometimes assume an agenda that involves highlighting some facts or story angles and purposefully suppressing others. Think about all the times you see comments like, “of course they won’t tell us that part of the story …” or “they must not want us to know …” By being upfront about things that aren’t yet known, journalists can remove some of that speculation and assure their audiences they’re continuing to ask the important questions. This is especially important when covering big, controversial stories — like elections, public health crises and protests. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • Whether it is poor word choice in a story, an accuracy issue or a spelling error, a mistake is every journalist’s nightmare. Why? Because we all work so hard to prevent them from happening in the first place. And sometimes “messing up” is less about a factual error and more about taking a hard look at what you did and realizing it could be better. Maybe a headline was accurate, but was it fair? Was it appropriate given the full context of a story? Sometimes those conversations around fairness and bias can be more difficult to address than an inaccuracy in a story. Your willingness to have these conversations and admit the mistake can be worthwhile though. How you fix the mistake — and your willingness to talk about the mistake with your users — can tell your community a lot about who your journalists are and what you value as a news organization. It can also be an opportunity to build trust. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Whether it is poor word choice in a story, an accuracy issue or a spelling error, a mistake is every journalist’s nightmare. Why? Because we all work so hard to prevent them from happening in the first place. And sometimes “messing up” is less about a factual error and more about taking a hard look at what you did and realizing it could be better. Maybe a headline was accurate, but was it fair? Was it appropriate given the full context of a story? Sometimes those conversations around fairness and bias can be more difficult to address than an inaccuracy in a story. Your willingness to have these conversations and admit the mistake can be worthwhile though. How you fix the mistake — and your willingness to talk about the mistake with your users — can tell your community a lot about who your journalists are and what you value as a news organization. It can also be an opportunity to build trust. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • Personally, I’ve had a hard time articulating how I feel as I see the pain, anger, support and sadness pour from communities around the country. The news appears on my phone in a constant stream of push alerts. It’s also in my social media feeds as images, videos and raw emotional thoughts from friends and family — but also from a lot of people I do not know but feel I relate to, depending on the moment. I think it is important for us to remind ourselves: These feelings are normal. These feelings are shared. These feelings are human. As journalists, I think we sometimes forget that. We put those human feelings to the side as we do our jobs. As we report on what we see, we push back feelings so we do not let them impair our ability to fairly and accurately share what we are seeing. But, we have to remember that we are people. People with families and friends. We are people who worry about issues, the future, our communities and our safety. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Personally, I’ve had a hard time articulating how I feel as I see the pain, anger, support and sadness pour from communities around the country. The news appears on my phone in a constant stream of push alerts. It’s also in my social media feeds as images, videos and raw emotional thoughts from friends and family — but also from a lot of people I do not know but feel I relate to, depending on the moment. I think it is important for us to remind ourselves: These feelings are normal. These feelings are shared. These feelings are human. As journalists, I think we sometimes forget that. We put those human feelings to the side as we do our jobs. As we report on what we see, we push back feelings so we do not let them impair our ability to fairly and accurately share what we are seeing. But, we have to remember that we are people. People with families and friends. We are people who worry about issues, the future, our communities and our safety. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
    • Part of being a trusted news source is reliably providing the information people most need. That might seem obvious to say, but it’s worth reflecting on these days. Many people are feeling an enormous level of confusion when making basic decisions and are struggling to understand the state of the world. They are balancing national news coverage with what they see in their own communities and wading through conflicting and contradicting versions of reality. As journalists, we can’t always share facts that bring clarity. Sometimes, our reporting reveals just how much isn’t known. But we can demonstrate that we are paying focused, prolonged attention to the questions that matter most. We can organize our pandemic coverage around ways to shed light on what is known and not known about the status of COVID-19 in your coverage area. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Part of being a trusted news source is reliably providing the information people most need. That might seem obvious to say, but it’s worth reflecting on these days. Many people are feeling an enormous level of confusion when making basic decisions and are struggling to understand the state of the world. They are balancing national news coverage with what they see in their own communities and wading through conflicting and contradicting versions of reality. As journalists, we can’t always share facts that bring clarity. Sometimes, our reporting reveals just how much isn’t known. But we can demonstrate that we are paying focused, prolonged attention to the questions that matter most. We can organize our pandemic coverage around ways to shed light on what is known and not known about the status of COVID-19 in your coverage area. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Most of us have probably been told that we are one-sided in our coverage. It’s a common complaint, and it can be a tough one to reply to. Especially when it comes to political coverage, we try hard to be fair. Yet those efforts often go unnoticed. The interesting thing is that when we consider what balanced coverage looks like, we are often thinking about it over time. We think about how we interviewed the family of the victim shot last week. So, if we talk to gun rights activists today, we do not necessarily need to hear from gun violence victims again in the same story. But, for the user, who most likely did not see the story from last week, but did see today’s, they may think we are siding with the gun rights activists because they are not hearing from all sides in one story. Despite the steps we take to produce responsible, ethical journalism every day, we’re often not getting credit for those efforts. We don’t draw enough ties between our entire body of coverage. We don’t point out the consistency in our approach, the thoughtfulness behind our decisions or the pains we take to represent multiple sides of an issue fairly. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Most of us have probably been told that we are one-sided in our coverage. It’s a common complaint, and it can be a tough one to reply to. Especially when it comes to political coverage, we try hard to be fair. Yet those efforts often go unnoticed. The interesting thing is that when we consider what balanced coverage looks like, we are often thinking about it over time. We think about how we interviewed the family of the victim shot last week. So, if we talk to gun rights activists today, we do not necessarily need to hear from gun violence victims again in the same story. But, for the user, who most likely did not see the story from last week, but did see today’s, they may think we are siding with the gun rights activists because they are not hearing from all sides in one story. Despite the steps we take to produce responsible, ethical journalism every day, we’re often not getting credit for those efforts. We don’t draw enough ties between our entire body of coverage. We don’t point out the consistency in our approach, the thoughtfulness behind our decisions or the pains we take to represent multiple sides of an issue fairly. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • When thinking about what it takes to build trust, it’s important to remember that trust involves feelings, not just facts. It involves affective trust, not just cognitive trust. You can’t simply persuade someone to trust you. They have to believe it. Think about who you trust. They are probably people you’ve had an opportunity to get to know and develop a relationship with, right? The same is true when it comes to trust in news organizations. People trust who and what they know and have relationships with. One part of building a relationship is getting to know each other. You can do this in conversations with your audience. (It’s important to invest in interactions.) You can also do this by sharing your brand’s values and stories, and by relating to what your community is feeling and going through.
    When thinking about what it takes to build trust, it’s important to remember that trust involves feelings, not just facts. It involves affective trust, not just cognitive trust. You can’t simply persuade someone to trust you. They have to believe it. Think about who you trust. They are probably people you’ve had an opportunity to get to know and develop a relationship with, right? The same is true when it comes to trust in news organizations. People trust who and what they know and have relationships with. One part of building a relationship is getting to know each other. You can do this in conversations with your audience. (It’s important to invest in interactions.) You can also do this by sharing your brand’s values and stories, and by relating to what your community is feeling and going through.
    Themes:
    Consuming the news is an overwhelming experience. I realize that it feels like we could have said that every day since the 2016 election season, but with coronavirus added to the mix, there is legitimately a lot to know. It’s also true that paying continual attention to breaking news alerts is exhausting. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 71 percent of Americans say they need to take breaks from COVID-19 news, and 43 percent say keeping up with the news makes them feel worse emotionally. We’re also headed into a season of potentially less dramatic coronavirus updates, with new cases and deaths slowing. And as people head into summer (and the temptation to take a break from reality), the tendency to check out from news updates could be high. It’s possible, of course, to find a middle ground — one that helps us stay informed without being consumed by and alarmed by repetitive updates. We can help our communities do that. Journalists can offer a path through the news that avoids both extremes. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Consuming the news is an overwhelming experience. I realize that it feels like we could have said that every day since the 2016 election season, but with coronavirus added to the mix, there is legitimately a lot to know. It’s also true that paying continual attention to breaking news alerts is exhausting. A recent Pew Research Center study found that 71 percent of Americans say they need to take breaks from COVID-19 news, and 43 percent say keeping up with the news makes them feel worse emotionally. We’re also headed into a season of potentially less dramatic coronavirus updates, with new cases and deaths slowing. And as people head into summer (and the temptation to take a break from reality), the tendency to check out from news updates could be high. It’s possible, of course, to find a middle ground — one that helps us stay informed without being consumed by and alarmed by repetitive updates. We can help our communities do that. Journalists can offer a path through the news that avoids both extremes. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
    • Like many businesses, news organizations are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial creativity and cutbacks might be required, and new revenue streams can help keep the lights on. But news organizations are in a situation that other businesses are not: While they might need and qualify for outside financial support, they are also expected to fairly cover the business impact of the virus. As a journalist in a newsroom, you likely don’t have control over whether your newsroom accepts a loan from the government or applies for grants from a foundation or company. What journalists CAN control (or at least advocate for) is being transparent about any funds received. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Like many businesses, news organizations are struggling due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Financial creativity and cutbacks might be required, and new revenue streams can help keep the lights on. But news organizations are in a situation that other businesses are not: While they might need and qualify for outside financial support, they are also expected to fairly cover the business impact of the virus. As a journalist in a newsroom, you likely don’t have control over whether your newsroom accepts a loan from the government or applies for grants from a foundation or company. What journalists CAN control (or at least advocate for) is being transparent about any funds received. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
    • Newsrooms hear a lot of accusations that they use photos and videos to misrepresent or even manipulate reality. We’ve heard from journalists lately wondering whether it’s best to ignore or respond to accusations of “fake news” and photo or video manipulation. We’ve also seen confusion and misassumptions in our own social networks and in comments on news stories when it comes to telling what’s real. Here’s what we at Trusting News want newsrooms to remember in those situations: It’s fair for news consumers to be skeptical. They shouldn’t automatically believe what they see, and it’s genuinely tricky to know which news brands are trustworthy. (Some aren’t.) No one but you is going to explain what makes your own work credible. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Newsrooms hear a lot of accusations that they use photos and videos to misrepresent or even manipulate reality. We’ve heard from journalists lately wondering whether it’s best to ignore or respond to accusations of “fake news” and photo or video manipulation. We’ve also seen confusion and misassumptions in our own social networks and in comments on news stories when it comes to telling what’s real. Here’s what we at Trusting News want newsrooms to remember in those situations: It’s fair for news consumers to be skeptical. They shouldn’t automatically believe what they see, and it’s genuinely tricky to know which news brands are trustworthy. (Some aren’t.) No one but you is going to explain what makes your own work credible. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • In breaking news situations, we all know that the information we are reporting is the most accurate and best information we have at that moment. But, have we helped our audience navigate fast-changing information? At Trusting News, we have shared with you how some newsrooms try to make this point clear in their reporting. While covering COVID-19, probably the biggest breaking news story of our time, we should all be working to make sure our users are alerted to this fact. We should also be working to help them understand why this is the case. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    In breaking news situations, we all know that the information we are reporting is the most accurate and best information we have at that moment. But, have we helped our audience navigate fast-changing information? At Trusting News, we have shared with you how some newsrooms try to make this point clear in their reporting. While covering COVID-19, probably the biggest breaking news story of our time, we should all be working to make sure our users are alerted to this fact. We should also be working to help them understand why this is the case. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
  • Engaging with Users
    • Several things are true at this strange moment. Our lives feel upside down. People are worried about their health and have a heightened desire to stay informed. The economy is in turmoil. Journalists are stressed and pressed for time (or furloughed or laid off). The financial part of the news business is in a weakened state just when people need journalism most. All of this happening in an information landscape that is complicated and full of pitfalls for both news consumers and journalists. People are skeptical of journalism — sometimes for fair reasons and sometimes based on misassumptions and ignorance about how journalism operates. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Several things are true at this strange moment. Our lives feel upside down. People are worried about their health and have a heightened desire to stay informed. The economy is in turmoil. Journalists are stressed and pressed for time (or furloughed or laid off). The financial part of the news business is in a weakened state just when people need journalism most. All of this happening in an information landscape that is complicated and full of pitfalls for both news consumers and journalists. People are skeptical of journalism — sometimes for fair reasons and sometimes based on misassumptions and ignorance about how journalism operates. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    A month ago, the 2020 election season was consuming national and local news coverage. And now? While the campaigns are continuing and the election is just a little over six months away, the arrival of COVID-19 in the United States has changed that focus. These days, everyone is just trying to survive. They are depending on their local news organizations to help them navigate the uncertainty they see all around them. People want questions answered about their very livelihood. They are losing their jobs and want to know where to go for help with car and rent payments, unemployment and groceries. And journalists (like you) are stepping up. You’re providing them the information they need, and you’re doing it while your own lives have also been turned upside down. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    A month ago, the 2020 election season was consuming national and local news coverage. And now? While the campaigns are continuing and the election is just a little over six months away, the arrival of COVID-19 in the United States has changed that focus. These days, everyone is just trying to survive. They are depending on their local news organizations to help them navigate the uncertainty they see all around them. People want questions answered about their very livelihood. They are losing their jobs and want to know where to go for help with car and rent payments, unemployment and groceries. And journalists (like you) are stepping up. You’re providing them the information they need, and you’re doing it while your own lives have also been turned upside down. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Engaging with Users
    • We all know how much information is out there right now because a lot of you are working around the clock to produce it. COVID-19 is a breaking news story that has continued and will continue for weeks and months. But just as you are working to produce credible stories that can help save lives, there are other people sharing links that are totally false or contain misinformation. You may think, what does the misinformation have to do with me and my journalism? What should you do about it? Well, you could ignore it (though at Trusting News we don’t recommend that and explain why here). But what if the misinformation is being shared in a Facebook group you manage, underneath a link you posted on social media or on comments on your news story? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    We all know how much information is out there right now because a lot of you are working around the clock to produce it. COVID-19 is a breaking news story that has continued and will continue for weeks and months. But just as you are working to produce credible stories that can help save lives, there are other people sharing links that are totally false or contain misinformation. You may think, what does the misinformation have to do with me and my journalism? What should you do about it? Well, you could ignore it (though at Trusting News we don’t recommend that and explain why here). But what if the misinformation is being shared in a Facebook group you manage, underneath a link you posted on social media or on comments on your news story? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
    • Man, there are a lot of coronavirus updates flying around these days. There’s so much to know and understand, and there’s sure not a shortage of news stories. But we know that access to more stories doesn’t always make people feel more informed. Often, it’s the opposite. You might be in a newsroom that sees its mission as sharing every new fact and every new angle in real time. Perhaps that’s why people turn to you in the first place. But for some of you — especially in local news — it’s worth stepping back and thinking about what role you play. In a crowded news ecosystem full of constant, repetitive, overwhelming updates, what do you offer? Some newsrooms are having conversations about focusing on the larger context, and on information that helps people make decisions about their own lives. If you’re in one of them, congratulations! It sounds like the mission of your coverage is clear. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Man, there are a lot of coronavirus updates flying around these days. There’s so much to know and understand, and there’s sure not a shortage of news stories. But we know that access to more stories doesn’t always make people feel more informed. Often, it’s the opposite. You might be in a newsroom that sees its mission as sharing every new fact and every new angle in real time. Perhaps that’s why people turn to you in the first place. But for some of you — especially in local news — it’s worth stepping back and thinking about what role you play. In a crowded news ecosystem full of constant, repetitive, overwhelming updates, what do you offer? Some newsrooms are having conversations about focusing on the larger context, and on information that helps people make decisions about their own lives. If you’re in one of them, congratulations! It sounds like the mission of your coverage is clear. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Engaging with Users
    • Do you know what questions your audience has about your news organization? We bet if you looked at your comments, listened to user voicemails, or read through emails, you’d see a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about how you do what you do. Even if your audience is made up of super savvy news consumers, chances are they don’t always understand why you talked to one source and not another, why you follow up on some stories but not others, and even more basic … if you care about things like fairness and accuracy. We as journalists often forget that our processes are invisible to our audience unless we make them public. We say this often at Trusting News, but in the absence of explanations, our audiences typically make negative assumptions about our motives and processes. We saw this after a Trusting News partner organization recently conducted an audience survey. While the survey responses (from thousands of readers) revealed public misunderstandings and frustrations with the paper, they also shed light on how readers were genuinely curious about how the newsroom functions. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Do you know what questions your audience has about your news organization? We bet if you looked at your comments, listened to user voicemails, or read through emails, you’d see a lot of confusion and misunderstanding about how you do what you do. Even if your audience is made up of super savvy news consumers, chances are they don’t always understand why you talked to one source and not another, why you follow up on some stories but not others, and even more basic … if you care about things like fairness and accuracy. We as journalists often forget that our processes are invisible to our audience unless we make them public. We say this often at Trusting News, but in the absence of explanations, our audiences typically make negative assumptions about our motives and processes. We saw this after a Trusting News partner organization recently conducted an audience survey. While the survey responses (from thousands of readers) revealed public misunderstandings and frustrations with the paper, they also shed light on how readers were genuinely curious about how the newsroom functions. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • Have you ever tried to get in touch with a journalist you did not know personally? We do it all the time. Unfortunately, many news organization websites are so hard to navigate or out of date that searching for the journalist on Twitter or Facebook is much easier. Your audience members won’t be as persistent as we are. Rather than continuing to dig, calling the newsroom or emailing a general email address, they will give up and move on. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Have you ever tried to get in touch with a journalist you did not know personally? We do it all the time. Unfortunately, many news organization websites are so hard to navigate or out of date that searching for the journalist on Twitter or Facebook is much easier. Your audience members won’t be as persistent as we are. Rather than continuing to dig, calling the newsroom or emailing a general email address, they will give up and move on. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • You most likely already have newsroom policies. You probably reviewed them during one of your first days on the job. Maybe you still refer to them while writing or editing a story or responding to a user complaint. Newsroom policies often cover things like: Corrections and accuracy Financial independence Political independence Commitment to diversity Unnamed sources Photo and video editing and ethics Conflicts of interest It’s important to have your policies clear internally. But, what if you also talked publicly about your ethics? What if you also explained when stories are corrected, how a user can tell if a story has been corrected, and how they can submit their own corrections? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    You most likely already have newsroom policies. You probably reviewed them during one of your first days on the job. Maybe you still refer to them while writing or editing a story or responding to a user complaint. Newsroom policies often cover things like: Corrections and accuracy Financial independence Political independence Commitment to diversity Unnamed sources Photo and video editing and ethics Conflicts of interest It’s important to have your policies clear internally. But, what if you also talked publicly about your ethics? What if you also explained when stories are corrected, how a user can tell if a story has been corrected, and how they can submit their own corrections? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Telling your users how long you have been reporting on what’s happening in your community can be powerful. It can also help lend credibility to your organization. When talking about your history, be sure to focus on the impact you have had in the community instead of big-name hires or printing press changes. Consider writing about the big stories you’ve seen the community through. Include old pictures of the newsroom, your building, your front pages or your newscasts. Think about including information like coverage area expansions or changes, the addition of new beats or the development of a podcast, video show, etc. Be sure to include any ownership changes, community event sponsorships and awards too. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Telling your users how long you have been reporting on what’s happening in your community can be powerful. It can also help lend credibility to your organization. When talking about your history, be sure to focus on the impact you have had in the community instead of big-name hires or printing press changes. Consider writing about the big stories you’ve seen the community through. Include old pictures of the newsroom, your building, your front pages or your newscasts. Think about including information like coverage area expansions or changes, the addition of new beats or the development of a podcast, video show, etc. Be sure to include any ownership changes, community event sponsorships and awards too. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Engaging with Users
    • What is your news organization’s mission? What communities do you cover, and how long have you been in business? What do you value, and what are your standards? Who works in your newsroom, and how are they reachable? How do you make money? These are all basic questions people might have about your news organization, but could they easily find the answers on your website, in your paper or on your social media profiles? At Trusting News we find that a lot of newsrooms have information answering these questions somewhere, but it’s not always easy to find and it’s almost always written using journalism jargon. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    What is your news organization’s mission? What communities do you cover, and how long have you been in business? What do you value, and what are your standards? Who works in your newsroom, and how are they reachable? How do you make money? These are all basic questions people might have about your news organization, but could they easily find the answers on your website, in your paper or on your social media profiles? At Trusting News we find that a lot of newsrooms have information answering these questions somewhere, but it’s not always easy to find and it’s almost always written using journalism jargon. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    It can feel like a luxury to pause and read a study about the news business. Who has the time? Yet researchers can tell us quite a bit about how news consumers behave, what makes them pay for news, what they want from news and what makes them trust and distrust journalism. For example: Nearly half of Americans — 44 percent — believe the press invents negative stories about the president, including 74 percent of Republicans. (Poynter Media Trust Survey 2017) Fewer than half of Americans (44%) say they can think of a news source that reports the news objectively. (Knight Foundation/Gallup, 2018) The majority of Americans think local news organizations are doing very well or somewhat well financially. But if the financial state is explained to them, they say they are more likely to support their local news organizations. (Knight Foundation/Gallup, 2019) Only 24% or Americans say they believe the news media in general is “moral.” But that number more than doubles (53%) when people are asked about the media they use most often. (API/AP-NORC, 2017) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    It can feel like a luxury to pause and read a study about the news business. Who has the time? Yet researchers can tell us quite a bit about how news consumers behave, what makes them pay for news, what they want from news and what makes them trust and distrust journalism. For example: Nearly half of Americans — 44 percent — believe the press invents negative stories about the president, including 74 percent of Republicans. (Poynter Media Trust Survey 2017) Fewer than half of Americans (44%) say they can think of a news source that reports the news objectively. (Knight Foundation/Gallup, 2018) The majority of Americans think local news organizations are doing very well or somewhat well financially. But if the financial state is explained to them, they say they are more likely to support their local news organizations. (Knight Foundation/Gallup, 2019) Only 24% or Americans say they believe the news media in general is “moral.” But that number more than doubles (53%) when people are asked about the media they use most often. (API/AP-NORC, 2017) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Story topic:
    Ask any opinion journalist this question: Do you get complaints from your audience that your work is biased? In our experience, the answer is almost certainly going to be yes. Accusations of bias are so ubiquitous that it’s no longer widely understood that some journalism is actually designed to persuade. See this comment, from a user survey one of our newsroom partners conducted: “Change the restaurant reviewer; she’s very biased.” You mean you noticed that the person hired to tell you what she thinks of restaurants is sharing her opinion? It’s easy to be frustrated by that misunderstanding, and it’s tempting to roll our eyes and move on with our day. But think about the fact that a significant subset of readers think opinions are accidentally creeping into your news coverage, rather than understanding that you’re paying journalists to share their opinion. The report highlights the experiences and advice of editors like Joel Christopher. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Ask any opinion journalist this question: Do you get complaints from your audience that your work is biased? In our experience, the answer is almost certainly going to be yes. Accusations of bias are so ubiquitous that it’s no longer widely understood that some journalism is actually designed to persuade. See this comment, from a user survey one of our newsroom partners conducted: “Change the restaurant reviewer; she’s very biased.” You mean you noticed that the person hired to tell you what she thinks of restaurants is sharing her opinion? It’s easy to be frustrated by that misunderstanding, and it’s tempting to roll our eyes and move on with our day. But think about the fact that a significant subset of readers think opinions are accidentally creeping into your news coverage, rather than understanding that you’re paying journalists to share their opinion. The report highlights the experiences and advice of editors like Joel Christopher. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
    • Last week, we talked about how it is important to respond to claims of “fake news.” This week, we’re taking a broader look at how journalists can respond to attacks on their credibility. That’s the topic of a recent report from the American Press Institute. (Disclosure: Trusting News is a project of API and the Reynolds Journalism Institute). The API report highlights how attacks on the media are felt in newsrooms, both at the national and local level. Most of you know all of this firsthand and likely can picture conversations in which you could have used more strategic responses. The report highlights the experiences and advice of editors like Joel Christopher. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Last week, we talked about how it is important to respond to claims of “fake news.” This week, we’re taking a broader look at how journalists can respond to attacks on their credibility. That’s the topic of a recent report from the American Press Institute. (Disclosure: Trusting News is a project of API and the Reynolds Journalism Institute). The API report highlights how attacks on the media are felt in newsrooms, both at the national and local level. Most of you know all of this firsthand and likely can picture conversations in which you could have used more strategic responses. The report highlights the experiences and advice of editors like Joel Christopher. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    It’s a new year; hello 2020. For a lot of us, a new year brings promises of setting goals both personally and professionally. As you do this, I have one for you to consider: Talk honestly to your audience about the idea of “fake news.” While we would all probably just wish the phrase would go away in this new year, a look through comments on social media shows complaints about bias and media manipulation aren’t going anywhere. So, instead of side-stepping them or ignoring them, let’s address them directly. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    It’s a new year; hello 2020. For a lot of us, a new year brings promises of setting goals both personally and professionally. As you do this, I have one for you to consider: Talk honestly to your audience about the idea of “fake news.” While we would all probably just wish the phrase would go away in this new year, a look through comments on social media shows complaints about bias and media manipulation aren’t going anywhere. So, instead of side-stepping them or ignoring them, let’s address them directly. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • It’s common these days for journalists to write a “behind the story” piece to accompany long projects. In these stories, an editor typically explains why a story was done, demonstrates how much work it took to produce, credits the staff and answers some anticipated reader questions. Those pieces are usually on a separate page from the main story and often only the most dedicated readers will click through. At Trusting News, we’re firm believers in taking advantage of attention where we already have it: in the story itself. In the spot in the story where you say a source wasn’t available for comment, you could explain how you tried to reach the person. When you introduce an expert source, you could include information about their independence and reliability. When part of a story led you to consult a conflict of interest policy, describe the situation and link to the policy. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    It’s common these days for journalists to write a “behind the story” piece to accompany long projects. In these stories, an editor typically explains why a story was done, demonstrates how much work it took to produce, credits the staff and answers some anticipated reader questions. Those pieces are usually on a separate page from the main story and often only the most dedicated readers will click through. At Trusting News, we’re firm believers in taking advantage of attention where we already have it: in the story itself. In the spot in the story where you say a source wasn’t available for comment, you could explain how you tried to reach the person. When you introduce an expert source, you could include information about their independence and reliability. When part of a story led you to consult a conflict of interest policy, describe the situation and link to the policy. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • When faced with a big story, journalists know how to mobilize. We quickly identify angles, send staffers to key locations and set up a system for producing and editing content back in the newsroom. Do most news consumers understand what a commitment of resources that is? Of course not — any more than most of us understand everything that happens at an MLB ballpark on opening day, behind the scenes at a church on Christmas Eve or with a construction crew building a housing development. Unless you’ve been through it, you just can’t picture it. What if offering a window into the complexity of your work could help lend credibility and inspire an appreciation for the efforts? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    When faced with a big story, journalists know how to mobilize. We quickly identify angles, send staffers to key locations and set up a system for producing and editing content back in the newsroom. Do most news consumers understand what a commitment of resources that is? Of course not — any more than most of us understand everything that happens at an MLB ballpark on opening day, behind the scenes at a church on Christmas Eve or with a construction crew building a housing development. Unless you’ve been through it, you just can’t picture it. What if offering a window into the complexity of your work could help lend credibility and inspire an appreciation for the efforts? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Motivation behind coverage
    • Something that gets us VERY excited at Trusting News is when a newsroom is willing to use its newsletter to build trust. That’s partly because newsletters often use an informal tone and voice that are ideal for talking directly to readers about how and why the news is produced. But it’s also because of how simple it is to test two versions of something and see how audiences behave. Simple is a welcome change because measuring opinions about a news product is hard, and so is isolating trust factors when news has so many variables. We get pretty creative about how we gauge success, and we rely a lot on our partner newsrooms to tell us what they observe about their audience’s responses to trust-building efforts. (We’re also grateful when we can partner with academic researchers.) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Something that gets us VERY excited at Trusting News is when a newsroom is willing to use its newsletter to build trust. That’s partly because newsletters often use an informal tone and voice that are ideal for talking directly to readers about how and why the news is produced. But it’s also because of how simple it is to test two versions of something and see how audiences behave. Simple is a welcome change because measuring opinions about a news product is hard, and so is isolating trust factors when news has so many variables. We get pretty creative about how we gauge success, and we rely a lot on our partner newsrooms to tell us what they observe about their audience’s responses to trust-building efforts. (We’re also grateful when we can partner with academic researchers.) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    What do you say when someone calls the newsroom asking you to remove a story from your website? Do you have a consistent way to handle the situation — both in what you say and in whether you honor the request? We talk a lot about transparency at Trusting News. Often, the first step to transparency is determining whether you’re ready to shine a light on your practices. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    What do you say when someone calls the newsroom asking you to remove a story from your website? Do you have a consistent way to handle the situation — both in what you say and in whether you honor the request? We talk a lot about transparency at Trusting News. Often, the first step to transparency is determining whether you’re ready to shine a light on your practices. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
    • Story topic:
    At Trusting News we’ve talked a lot about how important labeling opinion content is. We hope you agree with us, and we’ll keep talking about it. But truly transparent practices around opinion pieces need to go further than labeling. What if you told your audience whose opinion is being shared? Or why this person’s opinion is being shared? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    At Trusting News we’ve talked a lot about how important labeling opinion content is. We hope you agree with us, and we’ll keep talking about it. But truly transparent practices around opinion pieces need to go further than labeling. What if you told your audience whose opinion is being shared? Or why this person’s opinion is being shared? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Labeling and explaining types of content
  • News literacy
  • Reporting process
    • There are sadly a lot of ways for journalists to think they’re explaining themselves while still actually being quite obtuse. We tend to use coded language that doesn’t mean much to our audiences. One of those ways is with disclosure statements when explaining potential conflicts of interest. We often acknowledge the issue without explaining what it really means or how we’re working to make sure it doesn’t affect the integrity of our work. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    There are sadly a lot of ways for journalists to think they’re explaining themselves while still actually being quite obtuse. We tend to use coded language that doesn’t mean much to our audiences. One of those ways is with disclosure statements when explaining potential conflicts of interest. We often acknowledge the issue without explaining what it really means or how we’re working to make sure it doesn’t affect the integrity of our work. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Creating change is hard. Some people embrace it with open arms, but for others it’s scary, difficult and unwanted. A lack of buy-in or support from colleagues is something most (all?) of our newsroom partners have encountered when trying to implement Trusting News strategies into their workflow. But journalism is a team sport, and we rely on cooperation and collaboration to get the job done. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Creating change is hard. Some people embrace it with open arms, but for others it’s scary, difficult and unwanted. A lack of buy-in or support from colleagues is something most (all?) of our newsroom partners have encountered when trying to implement Trusting News strategies into their workflow. But journalism is a team sport, and we rely on cooperation and collaboration to get the job done. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    We hear from a lot of journalists that they’d like to invite people into their newsrooms. My first reaction is always: yes, please do. But, like other in-person events, doing so takes thought and planning if you want it to be successful. If you just issue a general call-out for visitors, you never know who may show up. You won’t know their concerns or who they are (which also raises safety and security issues). And they most likely all have different complaints or questions, making it hard to have a constructive discussion once you’re all together. But inviting people in can be a really effective way to engage with your audience. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    We hear from a lot of journalists that they’d like to invite people into their newsrooms. My first reaction is always: yes, please do. But, like other in-person events, doing so takes thought and planning if you want it to be successful. If you just issue a general call-out for visitors, you never know who may show up. You won’t know their concerns or who they are (which also raises safety and security issues). And they most likely all have different complaints or questions, making it hard to have a constructive discussion once you’re all together. But inviting people in can be a really effective way to engage with your audience. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    It’s easy for journalists to feel like our audience is mostly made up of people who hate us. After all, those folks are often the noisiest. Sometimes people defend us as well, but praise is usually not as loud as criticism. It’s easy to be left with the impression that our audience is mostly haters, with a few fans mixed in. When we consider the feedback (and most notably, the comments) we receive, it’s no wonder that we tend to put people in buckets of extreme viewpoints. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    It’s easy for journalists to feel like our audience is mostly made up of people who hate us. After all, those folks are often the noisiest. Sometimes people defend us as well, but praise is usually not as loud as criticism. It’s easy to be left with the impression that our audience is mostly haters, with a few fans mixed in. When we consider the feedback (and most notably, the comments) we receive, it’s no wonder that we tend to put people in buckets of extreme viewpoints. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
    • Finding phone numbers and email addresses for journalists can be really frustrating. It’s almost as if we don’t want to be found. I had an experience last week that I hate to imagine your audience having. I wanted to email a journalist, so I went to his news organization’s website to find contact information. The Contact Us page had only a general form, with options to have your message go to different departments (circulation, obituaries, etc.). No names. No direct info. So I played detective and guessed what it might be (first initial, last name, url, perhaps?), then googled that potential email address. Voila! Your community members probably don’t know how to do that, and they shouldn’t have to. In this scenario, they would most likely just give up, and they would leave with the sense that you don’t actually want to hear from them. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Finding phone numbers and email addresses for journalists can be really frustrating. It’s almost as if we don’t want to be found. I had an experience last week that I hate to imagine your audience having. I wanted to email a journalist, so I went to his news organization’s website to find contact information. The Contact Us page had only a general form, with options to have your message go to different departments (circulation, obituaries, etc.). No names. No direct info. So I played detective and guessed what it might be (first initial, last name, url, perhaps?), then googled that potential email address. Voila! Your community members probably don’t know how to do that, and they shouldn’t have to. In this scenario, they would most likely just give up, and they would leave with the sense that you don’t actually want to hear from them. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • Journalists serve as a community’s watchdogs. That idea is a core part of what we value and what we strive for. But does your community understand what that means? They may understand the basic concept: watch out for wrongdoing and call it out when we see it. But do they know how that’s different than “gotcha” reporting? And do we sometimes hide behind being watchdogs while actually just reporting on “gotcha” moments? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    Journalists serve as a community’s watchdogs. That idea is a core part of what we value and what we strive for. But does your community understand what that means? They may understand the basic concept: watch out for wrongdoing and call it out when we see it. But do they know how that’s different than “gotcha” reporting? And do we sometimes hide behind being watchdogs while actually just reporting on “gotcha” moments? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.

     

    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • No journalist I’ve ever met is unbothered by inaccuracy. Depending on the type, errors can make us nauseous, embarrassed, angry or many other strong negative feelings. Sometimes, mistakes are a matter of carelessness, and sometimes they result from a reasonable process that somehow let us down. Either way, standard practice is to correct our errors publicly and move on as quickly as possible. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    No journalist I’ve ever met is unbothered by inaccuracy. Depending on the type, errors can make us nauseous, embarrassed, angry or many other strong negative feelings. Sometimes, mistakes are a matter of carelessness, and sometimes they result from a reasonable process that somehow let us down. Either way, standard practice is to correct our errors publicly and move on as quickly as possible. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:

     

    A big part of what we do at the Trusting News project is help journalists talk about how we do our jobs, including how and why we make decisions. When we explain our process, we allow users to see how our story came together, why we put resources toward covering the story and why we chose to include certain people, images and words. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 

     

    A big part of what we do at the Trusting News project is help journalists talk about how we do our jobs, including how and why we make decisions. When we explain our process, we allow users to see how our story came together, why we put resources toward covering the story and why we chose to include certain people, images and words. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
  • Who are the Journalists?

    •  

    Isn’t it frustrating to watch news outlets get something dead wrong that you worked hard to get right? It’s important that we correct misinformation, especially on topics we have expertise in. It’s something we can do without spitefulness, and often without even naming the journalists who are at fault. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 

     

    Isn’t it frustrating to watch news outlets get something dead wrong that you worked hard to get right? It’s important that we correct misinformation, especially on topics we have expertise in. It’s something we can do without spitefulness, and often without even naming the journalists who are at fault. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • If a member of your community looks you up on social media, what will they learn about what you stand for and value?
    Something we are learning at Trusting News is that users make a lot of assumptions about who we are, what we do and why we do things. More from this edition can be found     here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    If a member of your community looks you up on social media, what will they learn about what you stand for and value?
    Something we are learning at Trusting News is that users make a lot of assumptions about who we are, what we do and why we do things. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Story topic:
     ,
    When President Trump launched a Twitter attack against Baltimore last month, The opinion staff at The Baltimore Sun clapped back, with an editorial headlined “Better to have a few rats than to be one.” But, did people understand the distinction of where the views and message in the editorial came from? We’re not so sure, and here’s why. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    When President Trump launched a Twitter attack against Baltimore last month, The opinion staff at The Baltimore Sun clapped back, with an editorial headlined “Better to have a few rats than to be one.” But, did people understand the distinction of where the views and message in the editorial came from? We’re not so sure, and here’s why. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • How do you choose which stories to cover? That question is high on the list of what your audience wants to know about your work. And as we wrote in an earlier newsletter, without clear answers from you, they’re making plenty of assumptions.
    Rather than letting your audience guess about your agenda, try telling them what you’re trying to accomplish. More from this edition can be found     here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    How do you choose which stories to cover? That question is high on the list of what your audience wants to know about your work. And as we wrote in an earlier newsletter, without clear answers from you, they’re making plenty of assumptions.
    Rather than letting your audience guess about your agenda, try telling them what you’re trying to accomplish. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    “Not available for comment.” It’s a phrase journalists often insert into stories without much thought. Sometimes it means we left messages every day for a week. And sometimes it means we texted 30 minutes before deadline. How is our audience to know the difference? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    “Not available for comment.” It’s a phrase journalists often insert into stories without much thought. Sometimes it means we left messages every day for a week. And sometimes it means we texted 30 minutes before deadline. How is our audience to know the difference? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Are you inviting feedback from your users? We’ve talked about directly asking your audience what they think about your news coverage through a survey or a post on social media (more on that here). But instead of just asking for feedback sporadically, try working the ask into daily stories. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Are you inviting feedback from your users? We’ve talked about directly asking your audience what they think about your news coverage through a survey or a post on social media (more on that here). But instead of just asking for feedback sporadically, try working the ask into daily stories. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Lately, I’ve been talking to some newsrooms about creating ethics landing pages for their websites. What is an ethics landing page? It’s a place where a news organization discusses it’s ethics policies and how it makes news decisions. These pages may look different newsroom to newsroom, but the reason they exist is to provide a one-stop-shop for users to understand why one story is covered and another isn’t, how fact-checking works, why one image is included in a story over another, etc. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Lately, I’ve been talking to some newsrooms about creating ethics landing pages for their websites. What is an ethics landing page? It’s a place where a news organization discusses it’s ethics policies and how it makes news decisions. These pages may look different newsroom to newsroom, but the reason they exist is to provide a one-stop-shop for users to understand why one story is covered and another isn’t, how fact-checking works, why one image is included in a story over another, etc. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
    • Journalists often face tough decisions when it comes to whether and how to publish disturbing images. They carefully weigh their responsibility to accurately and compellingly reflect a harsh reality while also avoiding exploitation and respecting the preferences and privacy of both their audience members and the subjects of the images. As Kelly McBride wrote for Poynter last week, it’s not up to newsrooms to shield their communities from hard truths, but they can minimize harm by treating the situation carefully. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Journalists often face tough decisions when it comes to whether and how to publish disturbing images. They carefully weigh their responsibility to accurately and compellingly reflect a harsh reality while also avoiding exploitation and respecting the preferences and privacy of both their audience members and the subjects of the images. As Kelly McBride wrote for Poynter last week, it’s not up to newsrooms to shield their communities from hard truths, but they can minimize harm by treating the situation carefully. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
  • Who are the Journalists?
    • I wrote a few weeks ago about the importance of earning trust face to face — how looking into another person’s eyes is more likely to create an authentic connection than an online or phone interaction. I also pointed you to new Pew data, which shows that only 21 percent of Americans have ever spoken with a journalist. (And those interactions are more likely to have happened with younger, less affluent, less educated, non-white people.) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    I wrote a few weeks ago about the importance of earning trust face to face — how looking into another person’s eyes is more likely to create an authentic connection than an online or phone interaction. I also pointed you to new Pew data, which shows that only 21 percent of Americans have ever spoken with a journalist. (And those interactions are more likely to have happened with younger, less affluent, less educated, non-white people.) More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    When writing a story or headline, journalists are ideally choosing their words carefully. Sometimes our decisions follow company style guides. Other times they’re the center of lengthy newsroom discussions. But we very rarely talk to our audiences about why we use certain words over others, let alone shine a light on the debate and discussion that took place. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    When writing a story or headline, journalists are ideally choosing their words carefully. Sometimes our decisions follow company style guides. Other times they’re the center of lengthy newsroom discussions. But we very rarely talk to our audiences about why we use certain words over others, let alone shine a light on the debate and discussion that took place. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Beyond opinion coverage, it can smooth the news consumption process to tell people what to expect. And labels don’t have to be formal (like a word in all caps at the top of the page). Think creatively about how and where to signal the type of content you’re offering (on every platform you’re offering it). Start with content you know your audience wants. Do they know you’re offering it? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Beyond opinion coverage, it can smooth the news consumption process to tell people what to expect. And labels don’t have to be formal (like a word in all caps at the top of the page). Think creatively about how and where to signal the type of content you’re offering (on every platform you’re offering it). Start with content you know your audience wants. Do they know you’re offering it? More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Story topic:
    Not being able to tell opinion content from news content is a frustration a lot of news consumers have. And, in some cases, that’s for good reason. Across platforms, news organizations don’t always make it easy. We have to make sure we are labeling our content and using words the public will understand. And the words “editorial” and “op-ed” do not necessarily help our situation. We know what those words mean, but not all users do. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Not being able to tell opinion content from news content is a frustration a lot of news consumers have. And, in some cases, that’s for good reason. Across platforms, news organizations don’t always make it easy. We have to make sure we are labeling our content and using words the public will understand. And the words “editorial” and “op-ed” do not necessarily help our situation. We know what those words mean, but not all users do. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Newsrooms get a lot of complaints about covering too much “bad news.” Too much conflict, violence, argument and devastation. In short, too many problems. Some of that comes with the territory, of course. Shining a light on a community’s challenges is a key function of journalism. But often, we try to aggressively report not just on problems but also on the people and projects working to solve them. We highlight what’s working, not just what’s broken. And when we do that, we need to clearly point it out. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Newsrooms get a lot of complaints about covering too much “bad news.” Too much conflict, violence, argument and devastation. In short, too many problems. Some of that comes with the territory, of course. Shining a light on a community’s challenges is a key function of journalism. But often, we try to aggressively report not just on problems but also on the people and projects working to solve them. We highlight what’s working, not just what’s broken. And when we do that, we need to clearly point it out. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here. 
    Themes:
    Money is not a conversation topic a lot of people are comfortable with. Money and how it relates to your newsroom’s funding can be especially tricky. And this makes sense based on the ethical implications of keeping the editorial side and the advertising side separate. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Money is not a conversation topic a lot of people are comfortable with. Money and how it relates to your newsroom’s funding can be especially tricky. And this makes sense based on the ethical implications of keeping the editorial side and the advertising side separate. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    I have talked to a lot of editors and news directors who want to avoid using the term “fake news” at all costs, and their reasons resonate with me. Some say they don’t want to perpetuate or validate the use of the term by using it. Sometimes they don’t want to bring it up only to have the conversation get taken over by trolls. And in some cases, they just dread the term because they don’t know how to respond to the accusations that come with it. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here
    I have talked to a lot of editors and news directors who want to avoid using the term “fake news” at all costs, and their reasons resonate with me. Some say they don’t want to perpetuate or validate the use of the term by using it. Sometimes they don’t want to bring it up only to have the conversation get taken over by trolls. And in some cases, they just dread the term because they don’t know how to respond to the accusations that come with it. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here
    Themes:
    Recently, I was so excited to listen to a behind-the-scenes episode of a favorite podcast. The host promised wild stories about how a story I’d enjoyed had come together. In reality, though, much of the episode focused on some pretty mundane aspects of how reporting happens — like how interviews and sources fell through, the weather made travel complicated and a staff member was sidelined by a sick kid. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Recently, I was so excited to listen to a behind-the-scenes episode of a favorite podcast. The host promised wild stories about how a story I’d enjoyed had come together. In reality, though, much of the episode focused on some pretty mundane aspects of how reporting happens — like how interviews and sources fell through, the weather made travel complicated and a staff member was sidelined by a sick kid. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
    We’re learning a lot at Trusting News about how news consumers decide what to trust and what journalists can do in response. Lynn and I could (and often do) talk all day about it! (It’s nerdy, we know.) But with the launch this week of a revamped TrustingNews.org, we’re hoping to give you a simple on-ramp to discussing trust in your newsroom. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    We’re learning a lot at Trusting News about how news consumers decide what to trust and what journalists can do in response. Lynn and I could (and often do) talk all day about it! (It’s nerdy, we know.) But with the launch this week of a revamped TrustingNews.org, we’re hoping to give you a simple on-ramp to discussing trust in your newsroom. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
  • Ethics and values
  • How News Works
    • Breaking news is a term that elicits varied feelings for journalists. It seems to always be a hectic time, with people and information moving at lightning speeds. It’s also when news organizations have an opportunity to fulfill one of their top duties: providing accurate information to the public. While a lot of us thrive and feel an adrenaline rush during breaking news situations, it’s also a time when most mistakes happen. And our audiences notice. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Breaking news is a term that elicits varied feelings for journalists. It seems to always be a hectic time, with people and information moving at lightning speeds. It’s also when news organizations have an opportunity to fulfill one of their top duties: providing accurate information to the public. While a lot of us thrive and feel an adrenaline rush during breaking news situations, it’s also a time when most mistakes happen. And our audiences notice. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
    Ask news consumers what they’re looking for in responsible journalism, and at the very top of the list will be one word: balance. (At least, it’s at the top of the list from 81 user interviews conducted by Trusting News partners. Often mentioned alongside the word balance are the words “both sides.” These are tricky concepts, of course. There are usually more than two sides. And the primary goal of journalism is not to produce a scale with two equal sides. Too often, balance is equated with equal air time or column inches, and that’s not the business we’re in. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Ask news consumers what they’re looking for in responsible journalism, and at the very top of the list will be one word: balance. (At least, it’s at the top of the list from 81 user interviews conducted by Trusting News partners. Often mentioned alongside the word balance are the words “both sides.” These are tricky concepts, of course. There are usually more than two sides. And the primary goal of journalism is not to produce a scale with two equal sides. Too often, balance is equated with equal air time or column inches, and that’s not the business we’re in. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
    Whether it’s the TV affiliation your station has or your corporate owner based on the other side of the country, talking about and being transparent about who owns your news organization can be an important part of earning the trust of your users. For many reporters and possibly even editors, the impact of who owns the paper, website, or TV or radio station may not be felt on a daily basis. But do you tell your users that? To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Whether it’s the TV affiliation your station has or your corporate owner based on the other side of the country, talking about and being transparent about who owns your news organization can be an important part of earning the trust of your users. For many reporters and possibly even editors, the impact of who owns the paper, website, or TV or radio station may not be felt on a daily basis. But do you tell your users that? To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • When faced with suicide, journalists have decisions to make — about whether to publish, but also about things like whether to use names and photos, what details to include and what words to use. Those decisions often take into account whether the death was in their own community or happened elsewhere, whether it happened publicly or privately, and whether the person involved was a public or private figure. It’s important not to forget, however, that newsroom decisions and policies are largely invisible to audiences. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    When faced with suicide, journalists have decisions to make — about whether to publish, but also about things like whether to use names and photos, what details to include and what words to use. Those decisions often take into account whether the death was in their own community or happened elsewhere, whether it happened publicly or privately, and whether the person involved was a public or private figure. It’s important not to forget, however, that newsroom decisions and policies are largely invisible to audiences. To read more from this edition click here and you can sign up for the weekly “Trust Tips” newsletter by clicking here.
    Themes:
    The comment sections connected to news stories — on their own platforms and on social media — often remind me of a poorly thrown party. Imagine you decide to have people over. You stock the bar, put on some music and throw open the door. And then you … leave. You hope (assume?) people will be on their best behavior, and you expect to come home to a house that’s still in order. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    The comment sections connected to news stories — on their own platforms and on social media — often remind me of a poorly thrown party. Imagine you decide to have people over. You stock the bar, put on some music and throw open the door. And then you … leave. You hope (assume?) people will be on their best behavior, and you expect to come home to a house that’s still in order. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • You’ve probably heard it by now: The public doesn’t know what “anonymous source” means. I experienced this firsthand while talking to a group of video game journalists several years ago. Their assumption was that when a journalist quotes someone anonymously, the journalist doesn’t know the identity of the person and has never talked to the person. I explained that in most cases the journalist knows the source’s identity, and their editor likely does as well. After explaining this, it felt like everyone had lightbulbs going off inside their heads. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    You’ve probably heard it by now: The public doesn’t know what “anonymous source” means. I experienced this firsthand while talking to a group of video game journalists several years ago. Their assumption was that when a journalist quotes someone anonymously, the journalist doesn’t know the identity of the person and has never talked to the person. I explained that in most cases the journalist knows the source’s identity, and their editor likely does as well. After explaining this, it felt like everyone had lightbulbs going off inside their heads. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    A new neighbor once said that until she got to know me a bit, she always thought of journalists as ambulance chasers. But she then — with no irony — told me how excited she was about a story she’d seen in the arts section that weekend that had allowed her to make a meaningful connection with a like-minded person. It didn’t register with her that local journalists had concretely enriched her life just in the last few days. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    A new neighbor once said that until she got to know me a bit, she always thought of journalists as ambulance chasers. But she then — with no irony — told me how excited she was about a story she’d seen in the arts section that weekend that had allowed her to make a meaningful connection with a like-minded person. It didn’t register with her that local journalists had concretely enriched her life just in the last few days. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    Trust Tips 4: Use Direct Language
    Cutline, VOSOT, A1 — just because you say it in the newsroom doesn’t mean your audience will understand it. We all know how important it is to use words that help us communicate clearly with our audiences. That’s true for the language we use when reporting on complex topics, and when we talk about our own work. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Trust Tips 4: Use Direct Language
    Cutline, VOSOT, A1 — just because you say it in the newsroom doesn’t mean your audience will understand it. We all know how important it is to use words that help us communicate clearly with our audiences. That’s true for the language we use when reporting on complex topics, and when we talk about our own work. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
    Trust Tips 3: Be ready to discuss content you don't produce
    Who do you trust to inform your audience of things that happen outside your coverage area? When was the last time you and your colleagues had a good talk about the stories you publish that you don’t produce yourselves? We’re here to tell you: Your audience is talking about those stories, and they’re holding you accountable for them. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Trust Tips 3: Be ready to discuss content you don't produce
    Who do you trust to inform your audience of things that happen outside your coverage area? When was the last time you and your colleagues had a good talk about the stories you publish that you don’t produce yourselves? We’re here to tell you: Your audience is talking about those stories, and they’re holding you accountable for them. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • How News Works
    • Story topic:
    Picture the process of how your newsroom decides which stories to cover. Which meetings? Which crimes? Which festivals? Which games? If we’re honest, a lot of those decisions happen intuitively. We have conventions we follow about what’s newsworthy and what’s not. We have big-picture fairness we’re trying to achieve when it comes to who and what gets attention. We know what stories we did last year and try not to repeat them. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Picture the process of how your newsroom decides which stories to cover. Which meetings? Which crimes? Which festivals? Which games? If we’re honest, a lot of those decisions happen intuitively. We have conventions we follow about what’s newsworthy and what’s not. We have big-picture fairness we’re trying to achieve when it comes to who and what gets attention. We know what stories we did last year and try not to repeat them. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Themes:
  • Engaging with Users
    • Trust Tips 1: Ask how you could better earn trust
    When was the last time you told your community that you value their trust? How often do you ask them how you could do better? In text? On air? On social media? In a newsletter? Acknowledging that you know some of them don’t trust you is powerful, as is asking for feedback. News consumers aren’t usually shy about telling us how we could do better, but asking for input directly (rather than just waiting to see what comments people leave on stories) can help get a constructive conversation going. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.
    Trust Tips 1: Ask how you could better earn trust
    When was the last time you told your community that you value their trust? How often do you ask them how you could do better? In text? On air? On social media? In a newsletter? Acknowledging that you know some of them don’t trust you is powerful, as is asking for feedback. News consumers aren’t usually shy about telling us how we could do better, but asking for input directly (rather than just waiting to see what comments people leave on stories) can help get a constructive conversation going. This is from our “Trust Tips” weekly newsletter. More from this edition can be found here and to receive the tips in your inbox each week click here.