Commitment to transparency and accountability in media
Enhancing media ethics in the Western Balkans
More than 2,000 media outlets around the world have registered to begin the certification process as part of the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) led by Reporters without Borders (RSF). The JTI represents an opportunity for internal transformation, and it helps further promote the highest ethical standards in the news publishing industry.
Recently in the Western Balkans, as a partner of the Media for Change project, the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN) mentored ten media outlets to perform the self-assessment of their ethical practices and policies. All ten media successfully finished the JTI self-assessment phase and published their transparency reports.
What is JTI?
Launched by RSF in 2019 and developed in collaboration with media professionals, the JTI certification consists of three stages. First, the outlet evaluates itself against 130 criteria via the JTI-app, an online platform that assesses transparency in the news production process and the conditions ensuring its reliability. Next, the outlet publishes a transparency report, making its responses and compliance level for each criterion available to the public. Finally, the outlet can achieve certification if it undergoes an audit conducted by a trusted third party.
What are the JTI self-assessments and external audits?
The self-assessment means that every media (TV, radio, online, print) can sign up for free and answer the self-assessment questionnaire on JTI APP. The self-assessment can help media structure existing and new practices.
The answers submitted by the media outlets through the JTI app can be publicly disclosed through the transparency reports. The publication of the transparency report is optional but necessary to be certified. The report can be disseminated to the audience and partners to showcase the professionalism and transparency of practices.
The JTI certification is obtained after an external audit is conducted by an approved certifier.
The aim of the external audit is to confirm the declarations of the transparency report given by a media outlet. This step is optional and involves audit fees. RSF offers grants to support media in the certification process. An external audit usually lasts a few weeks.
Media for Change project enhances ethics
The primary goal of the Media for Change project supporting ten media outlets in performing the JTI self-assessment was to bolster the credibility of quality journalism in the Western Balkans. By guiding media outlets through the process, the project and the EJN empowered the media partners to not only self-reflect on their journalistic practices but also to take concrete steps toward improving their transparency and accountability.
This transparency is invaluable, serving as an indicator of professionalism for potential donors, advertisers, and investors who may wish to assess the media’s integrity and operational standards without a lengthy due diligence process.
One of the editors-in-chief of the media supported through the Media for Change project said that “the JTI mentoring conducted by the EJN has brought up the question of building public trust in the media in the Western Balkans. More and more media outlets want to demonstrate their commitment to ethical standards in practice. The projects such as this one will strengthen and promote further the need for transparency and ethical journalism”.
The future of the media ethics
As the JTI continues to grow, strengthened by new partnerships and certifying bodies, the standard has also been integrated into several European regulatory frameworks, including the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).
As Thibaut Bruttin, Director General of RSF, said in the newsletter distributed to the partners: “It is not up to public authorities or online platforms to define what content falls within the scope of journalism. In five years, an industry standard established by media professionals for media professionals has taken hold across the global media landscape, regardless of an outlet’s size, country, or format. JTI has become a common denominator for journalism worldwide.”
That is why RSF invites all news outlets to assess their editorial processes using JTI’s guidelines and to commit to getting certified.
Building trust in media
Talking to one of the media outlets supported by the Media for Change, Portalb.mk, the EJN Founder Aidan White said that for rebuilding public trust, media needs to focus on three key areas.
“First, they must commit to the values of professional journalism, adhering to ethical principles such as accuracy through fact-based reporting, independence from political or corporate influences, humanity by exploitation of vulnerable groups or incitement of violence, and accountability by correcting mistakes and taking responsibility for errors.
Second, transparency is essential; media organisations must clearly communicate who owns them, how they are funded, what their policies are, and whether they have any political or financial biases. Lastly, the media must connect with the public by engaging directly. listening to people’s concerns and understanding their perspectives”.
