At Trusting News, we stand in the trust gap between newsrooms and communities. Simply put: We figure out what people don’t trust about the news and then help journalists address that mistrust head-on.
Wherever journalists are in their career and whatever their level of authority is in the newsroom, we help them build better relationships with and provide better coverage of the people they aim to serve.
We help journalists and newsrooms:
Accept that they need to earn trust, not just expect it.
It is the journalists’ job to demonstrate what makes their work credible and worthy of trust.
Listen and engage with humility and empathy.
Journalists must invest in understanding the complexity of mistrust and how their coverage could be more accurate, more nuanced and more reflective of their community’s values.
Tell the story of their work’s purpose, integrity and processes.
Wherever people encounter journalism, there’s an opportunity to learn about how and why journalism is done.
Make actively earning trust part of the culture of journalism.
Trust-building strategies should be valued, prioritized and supported in newsrooms
Ready to start earning trust?
Here are some self-directed resources to get started
Trust Kits
These step-by-step guides break down big trust-building strategies into actionable steps for journalists and newsrooms.
NewsU Course
This free, self-directed Poynter NewsU course covers the basics of how journalists can better earn trust. There is an international version too.
Newsroom examples
Our database has hundreds of examples showing how both local and national newsrooms are using strategies to build trust with their audiences.
Dimensions of Difference
This newsroom culture guide, designed with Spaceship Media, supports newsrooms in creating more reflective content to reach diverse audiences.
Video trainings
Browse playlists on our YouTube channel, where you’ll fine quick tutorial videos on how to earn trust, as well as longer webinars and trainings walking you through trust-building strategies.
Trust Tips
Sign up for our Trust Tips newsletter and get one quick, actionable tip for earning trust each week and stay up to date on Trusting News programs and trainings.
Upcoming events and trainings
Join us at any of our upcoming events and trainings, and sign up for our Trust Tips newsletter to be alerted to additional opportunities to hear from our team.
- Knight course to help strengthen elections reporting. Register for this free online course and learn how to center your reporting on your community instead of focusing on the horse race. Register for the course to get free coaching from March 25- April 21.
- Apply for ‘Clarify your elections coverage’ program. This news Trusting News program will help newsrooms tell a better story about the integrity and mission behind their elections coverage. The program runs May 6 – June 7. Apply by April 19.
- How journalists can champion news literacy and empower their communities. Trusting News will join the National Press Club Journalism Institute for a robust discussion on news and information literacy and finding ways to help the public fact-check the information it interacts with. 11:30 p.m. ET April 24. Register here.
- Frameworks to focus your 2024 election coverage. Trusting News Director Joy Mayer will be on panel hosted by the American Press Institute on how mission statements for election coverage can strengthen your position in your community. 1 p.m. ET April 24. Register here.
Work with us
Whether you’re seeking to enhance credibility, engage with your community, or strengthen the impact of your reporting, Trusting News stands ready to collaborate with you. Our expertise and tailored services aim to elevate journalistic standards and forge enduring connections between newsrooms and the communities they serve.
Here are some of the ways we can help you and your newsroom.
Coaching: Our coaching services are designed to provide tailored and timely support and feedback on specific stories, projects or goals your newsroom is working on. Coaching be offered to an entire newsroom, a specific newsroom team or for specific content. Coaching can be ongoing throughout a project or to help you reach a specific goal or can be defined to help you achieve something specific (write a mission statement, plan an engagement event, etc.). We can assist with brainstorming, planning, execution and post-publication. We offer suggestions on tactics, language and strategies, ensuring your content resonates authentically with your audience. Additionally, we offer guidance in boosting engagement through surveys, event hosting, and interactive initiatives.
Training: Our training programs cater to various facets of journalism, empowering reporters, editors, and managers alike. We cover critical dimensions such as combating polarization, fostering daily transparency practices, and cultivating meaningful audience engagement strategies. We can bring tailored training programs based on our research and knowledge in building trust to your newsroom. These trainings can help support longer-term goals like building a newsroom culture of community listening or transparency. Training can be personalized to reach specific journalists in the newsrooms, including managers, editors, producers, reporters, etc. The pieces of training can also be tailored to meet the specific needs of different reporting teams, including climate, government and election, crime, etc.
