Public Media and Digital Innovators Join the Trust Project for Enhanced News Integrity

Public Media and Innovation Unite in the Trust Project

In a significant stride toward journalistic integrity, the Trust Project has welcomed two new members to its board and renewed support from Craig Newmark Philanthropies. This initiative involves two public media organizations, a global digital magazine, and a state-focused investigative newsroom leveraging the eight Trust Indicators® to emphasize the importance of trustworthy journalism.

The newly partnered entities, The Midwest Newsroom—a collaborative platform for investigative journalism and public radio—and Rocky Mountain PBS, the only state television outlet in Colorado, are now recognized as the first public media organizations in the United States to become part of the Trust Project's network. By adopting these indicators, they are committed to transparency, allowing audiences insights into their journalistic processes, sources, and ethical guidelines.

In addition to these efforts, Newsweek—an established publication with a rich history spanning over 92 years—has made substantial improvements to align with the Trust Project standards. The Maine Monitor, known for its insightful investigative reporting, has also embraced increased transparency.

The Trust Project supports its various partners in enhancing their journalistic integrity through a systematic approach to news gathering, presentation across media formats, and operational practices. By applying the Trust Indicators to their policies, media organizations earn a Trust Seal, showcasing their commitment to ethical journalism.

In light of the pressing need for credible news sources, Le Courrier de la Nouvelle Écosse, serving Canada's Francophone minority, has instituted two best practices from the Trust Indicators. These include ensuring journalistic expertise and maintaining high standards of integrity in their reporting.

Sally Lehrman, founder and CEO of the Trust Project, expressed pride in these new collaborations, stating, "These news organizations have worked closely with us to elevate their journalism's value to the public. We commend the various changes they have implemented to gain rightful trust through transparency and integrity."

The Trust Indicators® are designed to help users discern reliable news sources easily. They affirm the core principles of responsible journalism, which entails serving the public interest while distinctly separating news content from opinions and paid promotions. Moreover, these indicators safeguard news practices from external influences, such as funders' or government interests, and reaffirm the necessity for objectivity, fact-checking, and corrections.

Accompanying these developments, the Trust Project has recently announced the addition of two distinguished members to its board—Claes de Vreese, a distinguished professor of Artificial Intelligence and Society at the University of Amsterdam and co-director of the AI, Media & Democracy Lab, alongside Anya Schiffrin, director of the Technology, Media, and Communication track at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs. Lee Hill, a member of the Trust Project board and executive editor of GBH News, welcomed these additions, citing the invaluable expertise these professionals bring to the Trust Project's mission of democratizing reliable news access.

Furthermore, the Trust Project extends its gratitude to Craig Newmark Philanthropies for their generous renewed funding, which will aid all branches of the Trust Project network in implementing the Trust Indicators effectively.

About the Trust Project

The Trust Project is a non-profit and non-partisan initiative that connects news organizations worldwide, reaffirming the commitment to transparency, accuracy, and inclusivity in journalism. It established the eight Trust Indicators®, a collaborative, tested standard that guides both the public and technology in assessing news authority and integrity. Policies and standards are developed through user research and applied independently from project funding sources. For more information, visit The Trust Project.