How to choose your news sources: a comprehensive checklist
Passive scroller? Feeling overwhelmed by the news flow? Wanna know how to navigate the loads of content on social media? Don’t know where to start?
Whichever the path you are on to consume or be exposed to news content, and whichever your sentiment is towards news content and sources, this checklist is for you to forge your opinion based on a detailed list of quality requirements for news publishers as established by the Journalism Trust Initiative. Do the test with any news organization now!
A. Identity
Basic information: How easy is it to find information about the publisher? The news brands it owns and operates? General contact details? Distribution channels? History and founding date? etc.
Ownership and governance: Who is the owner? Who is the owner behind the owner? Is there an effective and independent governance structure or body, and who is part of it?
Pay particular attention: Are there any political figures? Investors, private interests? Any individual or organization that could cause a conflict of interest?
Sources of revenue: At the very least, are the categories of revenue sources transparent and explicit? At best, are there more details about these (financial reports, sponsors/donors’ names, etc.)?
B – Intentions
Editorial mission: Does the publisher tell you transparently and explicitly what intentions they have with the content they publish?
The assumption is simple: all news organizations have vested interests, mostly and among others, economical, political, social or a mix.
C – Distinction between news and…
Sponsored content: Is the story highly biased, sponsored or advertising something? Is it easy for you to distinguish what is news and what is sponsored content? Is the individual or organization behind the story transparently and explicitly identifiable?
Opinions: Is the story impartial or does it have a clear opinion? Is it easy for you to distinguish what is news and what is an opinion piece? Is the individual or organization behind the story transparently and explicitly identifiable?
D – Communication channels
Contact details of the different teams/individuals (management, editorial, commercial, etc.): At the very least, are there generic contact details for the different departments of the media? And at best individual contact details?
Corrections: Do they correct errors quickly, clearly and prominently?
Complaints: Is there an easy process for submitting complaints? Are complaints effectively processed?
E – Best practices and accountability
Editorial guidelines: Are your news source’s most essential guidelines on their journalistic operations available publicly? How easy is it to contact the person or team who are responsible for them?
Core principles of journalism: Is your news source independent, fair, accurate and internally & externally accountable? Does it have any additional requirements?
Conflicts of interests policy: how to deal with conflicts related to political, business/commercial, social or, among others, personal interests
Affiliation to any effective, independent external organization or system for editorial content the media publishes
Policies it implements (data protection, cookies, end-user license agreement, etc.)
About the Journalism Trust Initiative. Initiated in 2019 by Reporters Without Borders, Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) is the name of an international quality standard for news publishing. Requirements for news organizations to obtain the JTI certification include compliance with high levels of transparency, the implementation of professional standards and with a responsible management of editorial processes. The ultimate goal is for information ecosystems and policies to integrate objective, independent standards like JTI to foster a healthier information space. While preserving citizens and consumers’ choices, the vision for JTI is a world in which everyone can forge opinions based on independent, transparent and quality information.
Writer: Bertrand Mossiat
Icons: www.inkscape.org
Photo: Pixabay, https://pixabay.com/fi/photos/fake-kuulumiset-huijaus-lehdist%C3%B6-4881486/