JTI News

April 8, 2025 – Stories from Namibian media: how JTI help them deepening their commitment to ethical journalism

Ten media outlets in Namibia reinforce their commitment to transparency, ethics and professionalism in their journalistic processes thanks to Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), an international quality standard for news organisations launched at the initiative of Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Three of them share their experience and lessons learned from the self-assessment they did with JTI, and how it helps restore trust with the public and combat disinformation.

The path to JTI certification is a rigorous process designed to ensure media compliance with the standard's criteria, while also serving as an opportunity for transformation. "The self-assessment process has helped our media house to uphold journalistic accountability, professionalism and a major cultural shift within the team" declared Getrud Hoases, Station Manager of community radio Etosha FM, that joined the initiative alongside The Namibian, Eagle FM, Caprivi Vision, Ohangwena Community Radio, One Africa TV or Otji FM.

"For example, the station is in the process of introducing a feedback system where listeners can report inaccuracies directly. One key achievement was the development of a clear editorial policy, ensuring ethical and unbiased reporting on our part. Another milestone was improved transparency in the sense that listeners now have better access to complaint mechanisms which strengthens audience trust" added Getrud Hoases.

For some, the self-assessment phase has been an eye opener as "it came as part of evaluating the papers’ weaknesses and strengths" said Risco Lumamezi, Editor of community newspaper Caprivi Vision. "We have embarked on understanding the need to have an editorial policy that serves as a guide on how we should maintain accuracy in news reporting. There were other questions that needed confidentiality, but due to accountability and transparency required by the JTI there was no room to withhold such information."

"The JTI can provide vital support to emerging media houses dedicated to fostering national discourse in a genuine and informative manner" explained Frans Sinengela, Station Manager, Eagle FM, on the opportunities offered by JTI. "It can assist media outlets that contribute to democracy and nation-building by offering training, financial support, equipment, and capacity building. These efforts aim to enhance the dissemination of accurate information, particularly in previously disadvantaged communities, and support initiatives to improve the flow of reliable information within these communities."

In a country where freedom of the press is firmly, historically one of Africa’s best-ranked countries in RSF’s World Press Freedom Index, "some media houses avoid reporting on sensitive political issues for fear of repercussions, including loss of government advertising or direct intimidation" commented Getrud Hoases, on the main challenges facing the Namibian media landscape. "Most media focus on urban areas, while rural communities often receive little to no media coverage, leading to information gaps. Also, the spread of fake news on social media discredits genuine journalistic efforts. Finally, the rise of free online news and social media platforms reduces the audience for traditional media, making it harder for local outlets to generate income."

March 25, 2025 – Tunisia: Journalism Trust Initiative certification awarded to Alqatiba

Read in Arabic / اقرأ بالعربية

The Tunis-based Arabic-language online media outlet, founded in September 2020 by Walid Mejri, is the second Tunisian media outlet to achieve Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification. Some fifty media outlets are on the same path as part of the NesTounes ناس تونس project, which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is a partner of. Alqatiba الكَتيبة shares their experience in this testimonial.

Operated by Taqallam for freedom of speech and creativity, an association that promotes the development of journalism in North Africa, its founder, Walid Mejri, explains that “we have to constantly fight against misinformation and fake news, which requires rigorous verification work to guarantee the reliability of our content.” 

In this sense, he adds that “JTI certification should strengthen our credibility and the public’s trust” and offer other concrete benefits: “access to funding and specific subsidies, especially for independent media; [...] empowering a network of collaboration among certified media, to maximize the exchange of best practices and solidarity in the face of common challenges; [...] additional protection against external pressures, whether political or economic, by showing that the media complies with high international ethics and independence standards.”

The journey towards JTI certification is a demanding exercise, to ensure that the media complies with the standard's criteria, but also an opportunity for transformation. “One of the main challenges has been to strengthen our internal governance and transparency mechanisms, particularly concerning the management of conflicts of interest.”

Specializing in investigative journalism and data journalism, Alqatiba covers the whole of North Africa and takes an even closer look at Tunisian affairs. “We've also had to put in place more rigorous processes to check the reliability of our sources and guarantee our journalists' independence from external forms of pressure.”

Finally, from a decision-making point of view, Mejri adds that the process “has enabled us to formalize our ethical charter and improve collaboration within our editorial team, to ensure better collective decision-making. For example, stricter protocols have been introduced to ensure a clear separation between editorial content and any external sources of funding. We have also integrated an error tracking system to ensure rapid and transparent corrections when errors are identified.”

Ayoub Dhifallah, JTI regional manager in Tunisia for RSF, leads the activities of the NesTounes ناس تونس project and supports any media wishing to learn more about JTI or take their first steps on the road to certification. Email contact: adhifallah@rsf.org 

March 19, 2025 – JTI integrated as a trusted third party to consolidate fact-checking solution Vera

Tech collective LaReponse.tech integrates Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) as a trusted third party to consolidate Vera, its fact-checking solution for the general public. Initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the international standard for quality news publishing further establishes itself as leading international benchmark for trustworthy journalism.

"Ensuring the veracity of information can be a long and complex process, and requires assurance as to the reliability of the sources consulted. In the face of growing disinformation, the emergence and democratization of fact-checking tools appear to be necessary bulwarks. We welcome the collaboration between Vera and JTI, two approaches that complement each other and aim for the same goals." - Benjamin Sabbah, Director of Journalism Trust Initiative, RSF

Vera was conceived by LaReponse.tech, a citizen-backed collective that develops digital solutions to address social challenges such as the fight against disinformation and the protection of democracy. Vera is an AI-powered, free-to-use tool available for the general public: one simply messages it on WhatsApp or calls it on a dedicated phone number to ask if a particular piece of information is true or not. Either way, the user is directly greeted with a "Hello, my name is Vera, what information would you like to check today?"

"In the face of an explosion of disinformation, further amplified by the shutdown of Meta's verification program, it is becoming urgent to provide the general public with a simple and reliable means of verifying information. Connected in real time to over 300 reliable sources, Vera verifies any piece of information in a matter of seconds with sourced, verified and argued responses. Our ambition: to democratize fact-checking and make it an everyday reflex." - Florian Gauthier, co-founder of LaReponse.tech

The integration of the Journalism Trust Initiative standard into Vera will result in: 

• Greater transparency: LaReponse.tech will now rely on JTI to assess the transparency, ethics and compliance with ethical standards of the sources used by Vera. This alignment will increase the reliability of the information verified by the tool.
• Enriched database: Vera will gradually integrate new JTI-certified sources. 
• A trusted third party for new sources: All media wishing to be referenced in Vera will be put on the path to JTI certification to confirm their commitment to transparency and editorial rigor.

11 March, 2025 –Two thousand media outlets register with the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) worldwide, cementing the first international standard for transparent journalism

Five years after Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), the international standard has reached a crucial milestone as over 2,000 media outlets in 119 countries have registered to begin the certification process. As the rampant spread of disinformation and the acceleration of unregulated artificial intelligence increase, the JTI is quickly becoming an essential tool for strengthening trust between media outlets and their audiences.

"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. The JTI has become a common denominator for journalism worldwide. To media outlets: assess your editorial processes using the standard’s guidelines and commit to getting certified. To advertisers and tech platforms: integrate the JTI in your products and services. It is well past time to restore a virtuous cycle favoring quality journalism based on facts, safeguards for a democracy’s public debate." Thibaut Bruttin, Reporters Without Borders Director General

The most recent outlets to become JTI certified illustrate the Initiative’s diversity, from public media outlets such as Radio Taiwan International (Rti), and Latvijas Televīzija (Latvia), to private television and radio channels including TF1 in France and Radio NV in Ukraine, as well as specialised media like Afrikelles (women’s rights in Africa), Nature News (environment and climate in Nigeria), and Ecuador Chequea (fact-checking in Ecuador). They join JTI pioneers such as RTE News (Ireland), CBC/Radio-Canada (Canada) and GMX News (Germany), which have committed to following the JTI standard since 2022.

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.

A growing impact on the media and legislative landscape

To date, 2,000 media outlets across 119 countries have started the self-assessment stage of the JTI certification, with one-third based in Europe, one third in Africa. Six hundred media outlets have published their transparency report and 100 were JTI certified by an independent auditing firm.

The JTI continues to grow, strengthened by new partnerships and certifying bodies, expanding the JTI on a global scale. The standard has also been integrated into several European regulatory frameworks, including the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA).

Furthermore, the JTI has been integrated into the algorithms of digital platforms such as Microsoft’s search engine Bing, the digital newsstand Cafeyn, the European Broadcasting Union’s content aggregator YEP, and the fact-checking application Ask Vera.

JTI certification is also a criterion considered by donors such as the Thomson Foundation, the Samir Kassir Foundation, and the International Fund for Public Interest Media (IFPIM) when selecting recipient media outlets.

All transparency reports and media certifications are available on our website.

10 March, 2025 –Three baltic media obtain their JTI certification, lead by example to build an ethical media landscape

The Lithuanian National Radio and Television (LRT), Latvian Television (LTV) and independent radio broadcaster FM99 are the first media in the Baltics to be certified according to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standard. Holding the JTI certification not only represents an achievement for the three media outlets, but also a significant advance for journalism in the region.

By adopting the JTI standard, LRT, FM99 and LTV reinforce their commitment to professional, ethical and transparent journalism. "[The JTI] certification is an opportunity for us to [sustain] our path to excellence [and guarantee] that our work is conducted in accordance with the most current trends in the industry, for example, by developing guidelines on the use of artificial intelligence in everyday work," said Rudīte Spakovska, editor-in-chief of LTV News Service (see certificate). “The public can also be sure that Latvian Television, as a public media outlet, strives for the highest possible quality of work and processes."

Monika Garbačiauskaitė-Budrienė, Director General of LRT (see certificate) declared that "as a public service broadcaster, we strive to set and promote the highest standards in our industry, encouraging improvements in journalism, ethics and content across the media landscape. The JTI provides us with benchmarks that guide us in upholding these standards and encourage the wider market to continually 'do better'."

"For us, the JTI certification is not only a formal procedure, but also a way to strengthen our position in the market and confidence in society,” commented Vilija Ramanauskienė, journalist for FM99 (see certificate). “In addition, the certification process provides a clear and uniform quality standard, which allows both audiences and funders to distinguish reliable media sources from disseminators of information of uncertain origin."

JTI was created with the aim of supporting the media in their professional work and strengthening the resilience of the information space, fighting disinformation, fake news and propaganda. "It is essential for a modern media outlet to assess whether it meets international professional standards, especially at a time when it is becoming increasingly challenging to distinguish true information from falsehoods on various platforms in the information space,” Spakovska added. In spite of their countries top positions in Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, news publishers in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania face growing challenges, including Russian disinformation campaigns or the recent "political neutrality" audit of LRT which could threaten its editorial independence.

05 March, 2025 – How to restore a safer news landscape in the digital age: takeaways from RightsCon25

On February 27, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) took part in RightsCon25 in Taipei. At this prominent summit on human rights in the digital age, Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) director Benjamin Sabbah, Agence France Presse (AFP) Asia-Pacific regional director Michael Mainville and Radio Taiwan International (RTI) Vice President Isis M. Lee discussed how to shape policies that support a healthier information ecosystem for all. A panel moderated by Aleksandra Bielakowska, Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Manager at RSF.

Benjamin Sabbah, Journalism Trust Initiative director, explained that "JTI is an ISO-type standard which aims to promote transparency and accountability in the news publishing. This mechanism is crucial since the media outlets have the responsibility towards their audiences and citizens at large. JTI is willing to help the media outlets to prove what they are doing is trustworthy, professional and transparent."

Michael Mainville, Agence France Presse (AFP) Asia-Pacific regional director, added that “trust is the biggest challenge that we face today in the news industry. The flood of mis-information is the biggest reason for this outcome but also the political polarization and lack of transparency and representation of media outlets. The media today fail to show how transparent they are and need to adjust their policies to win back the trust of the public."

The discussion took place just weeks after RTI became the first news organisation to obtain the JTI certification in a Chinese-speaking market. “RTI is very proud to be the first media outlet that has been certified among the Chinese-speaking media outlets around the world,” said Radio Taiwan International (RTI) Vice President, Isis M. Lee,. "Taiwan is suffering from the massive attack of misinformation and cyber attack, and as Taiwanese media, we want to send a strong signal to the world that our work is trustworthy and transparent and JTI is the solution for us.”

Audits towards JTI certifications are conducted by third-party organizations around the World, including by ABC Taiwan in Asian countries as of the beginning of 2025. Jason Chiang, board member of ABC Taiwan and President of the Asia Pacific executive team of IFABC (International Federation of Audit Bureaux of Certification), explained why his organization wanted to become a JTI auditor:

"With Taiwan ranking among the top in global misinformation circulation, JTI’s framework provides a clear benchmark for journalistic integrity, helping news organizations regain credibility. Additionally, advertisers seek trusted media partners, and integrating JTI into ABC Taiwan’s audits offers a third-party verification system, ensuring their investments support responsible journalism.” said Jason Chiang “JTI introduces content integrity standards, allowing ABC Taiwan to expand from media verification to media accountability, fostering a more transparent and ethical news ecosystem."

Standing in the midst of the information war, Taiwan’s media ecosystem and democracy face significant challenges due to the flood of misinformation. The deployment of JTI in the country will be a crucial tool in helping media outlets establish professional and trustworthy standards, ultimately restoring public trust.

26 February, 2025 – Radio Taiwan International becomes first JTI-certified news outlet for Chinese-speaking audiences

Radio Taiwan International (RTI) has become the first news organisation to obtain the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification in a Chinese-speaking market. Launched by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the JTI is an international quality standard for news organisations, a crucial method for restoring public trust in journalism and combating disinformation. RTI’s certification, announced on 29 January, comes just weeks before RightsCon25 in Taipei, the Taiwanese capital, where RSF will present the JTI.

“This announcement represents a major milestone in advancing and implementing the JTI across Asian markets. We are delighted to see the strengthening culture of collaboration among public service media worldwide, driven in part by their commitment to obtain JTI certification. Ultimately, the JTI serves as a best practice framework for all news organisations, regardless of their size, format, or ownership. We hope that more publishers will be inspired to follow RTI’s lead.”, Benjamin Sabbah, Director of the Journalism Trust Initiative

With Taiwan at the forefront of democracy in Asia, where authoritarianism is growing, RTI, a public broadcaster, has a responsibility to help foster a professional, transparent media landscape. The JTI standard provides the perfect international framework to promote these fundamental values among news publishers, and an innovative strategy to protect the right to freedom of expression and reliable information.

“With AI making it harder to tell what's real, public media credibility is more important than ever.  JTI's news trustworthiness certification helps us check the quality of our reporting and also the transparency of our management.” Cheryl Lai, Chairperson of Radio Taiwan International

This announcement follows RSF Director General Thibaut Bruttin’s visit to Taipei in October 2024, where he met with Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te, National Security Council Secretary-General Joseph Wu, and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs François Wu. Thibault Bruttin praised Taiwan’s rise in the 2024 RSF World Press Freedom Index from 35th to 27th place but emphasised the need for media law reforms. He also presented RSF initiatives to boost press freedom, such as the JTI, the Paris Charter on AI and Journalism and the Propaganda Monitor.

RSF will participate in RightsCon25 in Taipei from 24 to 27 February 2025 to present JTI and underscore the importance of best practices in journalism. A dedicated workshop will be hosted on 27 February 2025 by RTI vice president Mingli Lee, Agence France Presse Asia-Pacific regional director Michael Mainville and JTI director Benjamin Sabbah, and moderated by RSF Asia-Pacific Bureau Advocacy Manager Aleksandra Bielakowska. They will discuss how JTI can be implemented, how to encourage digital platforms to promote credible content, and how to shape policies that support a healthier information ecosystem for all.

4 February, 2025 – Benefits of the JTI: testimonials from La Contratopedia Caribe (Colombia)

La Contratopedia Caribe obtained on October 17, 2024 the certification according to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) standard of Reporters Without Borders, implemented in Colombia since 2024, from which more than one hundred media have been accompanied to comply with the standard with reference CWA 17493 of the European Committee for Standardization (CEN).

The process towards compliance with the requirements established by the standard has three phases: self-evaluation, which allows the media to reflect on their editorial processes and their transparency, publication of the transparency report and certification.

“This internal evaluation process, which was carried out together with the journalistic team, allowed us to detail the origin of our funding and the characteristics of the funds we are willing to receive and those we do not consider legit because they represent a risk to the independence of our journalistic agenda,” said Tatiana Velásquez Archibold, co-founder and general editor of La Contratopedia Caribe, a media specialized in monitoring regional public resources since 2019.

In addition to the transparency criteria, the accuracy and precision of the information are essential for compliance with the JTI standard.

“We found that we had documented our administrative and accounting routines much more than we imagined, contrary to the journalistic ones. That is to say, we noticed that we had clear journalistic praxis and the values that support our practice, but that we did not have enough documentation. So, we set ourselves the task of creating a master document with our editorial guidelines,” added Velásquez Archibold. “This allowed us to improve the methodology for verifying information; the off-the-record sources policy; the guidelines for sensitive images; [the] action plan for possible conflicts of interest in journalistic coverage; and details for the audience on how to access the media's journalistic team in the event of a request for rectification, clarification or response to published content.”

“This process,” noted the general editor of La Contratopedia Caribe, ”allows us to better understand the scope of our mission: to contribute to the reduction of opacity surrounding public funds and to strengthen the culture of accountability.”

Once the self-assessment phase was completed, the external audit was carried out by CMD Certification, an authorized certification body in Colombia, which granted the JTI certification to media such as Casa Macondo, Vorágine and El Cronista.

20 November, 2024 – Bureau Veritas joins the Journalism Trust Initiative’s global network of auditors

Bureau Veritas has joined the network of audit firms qualified to deliver the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification. Launched by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the JTI certification is an international quality standard for newsrooms that promotes reliable, transparent journalism practices that comply with rigorous ethical standards.

Over 1,700 media outlets worldwide have committed to the JTI certification process. Now, Bureau Veritas, a major international certification body, has become the 14th auditing company to join JTI’s network, a key step that will accelerate the global expansion of the JTI standard.

The certification process begins with a self-assessment and the publication of a transparency report by the media outlet in question, which then allows accreditation bodies, such as Bureau Veritas, to carry out an independent audit. After a successful external audit, the media outlet is awarded the JTI certification for two years, reinforcing the outlet's credibility with its audience and partners.

"The adoption of the Journalism Trust Initiative in 85 countries requires partners with an international reach. Partnering with Bureau Veritas will accelerate the global roll-out of the standard as a benchmark for evaluating ethical and professional journalistic practices." – Benjamin Sabbah, Director, Journalism Trust Initiative

As a leader in the testing, inspection and certification sector, Bureau Veritas has an extensive geographical presence covering major cities and remote regions alike. This unique combination of international and local expertise enables Bureau Veritas to integrate the local specificities of its clients via its network of 83,000 auditors — including 10,000 in France — who work in 159 countries.

"We are delighted to join the network of JTI certification bodies. Bureau Veritas will leverage its network of independent experts to support this standard, whose mission is in line with that of the group: building a world of trust." – Marc Roussel, Executive Vice President, Bureau Veritas France

About the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI)

Initiated in 2019 by Reporters Without Borders, JTI is a news publishing certification program based on an ISO-type standard. 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. More than 1,700 media outlets from 85 countries benchmark themselves with the JTI standard, and 75 of them obtained the JTI certification from certifying organizations like Deloitte or Bureau Veritas.

More than a sign of trustworthiness, JTI is a tool to foster or guarantee benefits for certified organizations: Microsoft’s Bing gives a boost to JTI certified sources; under the EU’s Media Freedom Act, tech companies will no longer be able to arbitrarily moderate or censor contents from JTI certified sources; and many more uses are currently under development in the fields of advertising, philanthropy, public policies, etc.

About Bureau Veritas

Bureau Veritas is a world leader in the field of inspection, certification and laboratory testing, with a powerful mission: to shape a world of trust by ensuring responsible progress. The company aims to be its customers’ preferred partner in their quest for excellence and sustainability, and innovates to help them navigate these transitions. Created in 1828, Bureau Veritas’ 83,000 employees deliver services in 140 countries. The company’s technical experts help customers overcome challenges to quality, health and safety, environmental protection, and sustainability. Bureau Veritas is listed on Euronext Paris, the Paris stock exchange, and belongs to the CAC 40 ESG, CAC Next 20, SBF 120 indices and is part of the CAC SBT 1.5° index. Compartment A, ISIN code FR 0006174348, stock symbol: BVI.

14 November, 2024 – Journalism Trust Initiative and Sveriges Tidskrifter to team up in Sweden

This new collaboration with Sweden’s largest industry organisation in the media world aims to boost the footprint of the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), the quality standard for news publishing developed by Reporters Without Borders. Safeguarding the highest quality standards within news publishing has never been more critical, even in a country often paired with high levels of trust. 

Sweden regularly tops international rankings for press freedom – 91,03 /100 in 2024 on the RSF’s 2024 World Press Freedom Index – or for trust in news – Reuters Institute’s Digital News Report 2024. In such a context, Sveriges Tidskrifter and the JTI team will offer news publishers interested in reinforcing the legitimacy of their work dedicated support to start the process to become certified. 

“This collaboration highlights the importance of maintaining rigorous standards of transparency and accountability, even in one of the world’s most trusted media environments. The Journalism Trust Initiative standard is the perfect tool for Sveriges Tidskrifter to reaffirm its commitment to reliable, ethical journalism.” Benjamin Sabbah, director, Journalism Trust Initiative 

"We are proud and happy to welcome the Journalism Trust Initiative team as associate members of our organisation. Standing up for press freedom, media ethics, and working to build trust in journalism has never been more important. Through this new collaboration between our organisations, we can support each other in this crucial work.” Kerstin Neld, CEO, Sveriges Tidskrifter

Journalism Trust Initiative, the international quality standard for news publishing

Initiated in 2019 by Reporters Without Borders, JTI is a news publishing certification program based on an ISO-type standard. Requirements for news organisations 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. More than 1,700 media outlets from 85 countries benchmark themselves with the JTI standard, and 70 of them obtained the JTI certification from certifying organisations like Deloitte or Bureau Veritas.

More than a sign of trustworthiness, JTI is a tool to foster or guarantee benefits for certified organisations: Microsoft’s Bing gives a boost to JTI certified sources; under the EU’s Media Freedom Act, tech companies will no longer be able to arbitrarily moderate or censor contents from JTI certified sources; and many more uses are currently under development in the fields of advertising, philanthropy, public policies, etc. Contact for the Nordics: Amélie Reichmuth, JTI representative, areichmuth-ext@rsf.org 

Sveriges Tidskrifter, Sweden’s largest industry organisation in the media industry

Sveriges Tidskrifter has 383 members who represent everything from commercial lifestyle brands to trade union newspapers and purely digital players. We pursue common issues, work with politicians on media issues, set standards, protect press ethics, educate and inspire our members and highlight good examples from the industry through experience exchanges and awards. And we know from experience that industry development must take place with broad support from the various players in the industry and linked to their needs.

4 November, 2024 – Grant opportunities for JTI the certification: confirm your media's transparency and credibility

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is offering grants to help media organizations complete the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification audit. Media that do not have the financial resources to fund the audit are encouraged to apply.

Eligibility criteria

1. Complete the JTI self-assessment and publish your transparency report on jti-app
2. Be legally established in an ODA country or in one of the eligible EU countries (list below)
3. Submit your application via the online form

Applications are assessed on a quarterly basis by RSF and by an external evaluation committee. The next evaluation committee will be meeting on November 21, 2024 and the following one in the first quarter of 2025. Each application is carefully examined to identify the most committed media outlets likely to benefit from the certification.

How to apply?

• Fill out the form to apply for a grant here: https://form.jotform.com/240776396364064
• Find useful information and details on the application process here and on the jti-campus

List of eligible countries :

• List of ODA countries
• Eligible EU countries: Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Czechia, Hungary, Bulgaria, Slovakia, Romania, Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia, Bosnia, Serbia, Albania, Greece, Italy, Malta, Spain, Portugal, media in exile from Ukraine, Russia, Belarus based in the EU

24 October, 2024 – Protecting independent journalism and the right to information in Ukraine

Read in Ukrainian / Читати українською

The conference was dedicated to discussing the recovery and strengthening of Ukraine's information ecosystem in the context of the war. Mykola Tochytskyi, Minister of Culture and Strategic Communications, introduced  the event and highlighted the importance of protecting the professional activities of journalists and media independence.Thibaut Bruttin, Director General of Reporters Without Borders, followed and stressed the need to support Ukrainian journalists and independent media, and the importance of quality standards in news publishing.

Lina Kushch, first secretary of National Union of Journalists of Ukraine (NUJU) highlighted key challenges for the Ukrainian media landscape now, mentioning that 1 in 3 media outlets has suspended its work since the start of the full-scale invasion in spite of a strong public demand for credible, local information. They identified two requests from Ukrainian journalists: the first being a request to continue working, their activities; and the second being a request for psychological support to tackle emotional burnout.

There is an urgent need for systematic, long-term funding and strategies to ensure media sustainability and for media outlets to operate without constant uncertainty. Short-term fixes are no longer sufficient. Advocacy efforts and discussions with policymakers are underway in an effort to integrate the recovery of media into Ukraine’s broader reconstruction plans. Examples from Sweden, for instance, demonstrate how subsidies and tax systems can play a vital role: subsidizing delivery costs for media that meet certain standards; eliminating VAT on imported paper for printed media; incentivizing public institutions and businesses to advertise in local or hyperlocal media; etc.

Pauline Maufrais, manager of the Ukraine Desk at RSF, said that the NGO recently called for the creation of an International Fund for the Reconstruction of the Ukrainian Media (IFRUM) to ensure media independence and preserve the right to information. A “report found that $96 million is needed over three years to ensure that independent Ukrainian media outlets can cover their operating expenses and administrative costs.” Once launched, one of the eligibility criteria will be the news outlet’s adherence to existing ethical standards, such as the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI).

Tetiana Kurmanova, head of Hromadske Radio, said that «it is very important to stay independent, and that treating the news independently because quality is the basis [of everything we do at] Hromadske Radio.» One recent development is that they decided to close their Telegram channel because the platform poses growing risks of misinformation and disinformation as it dominates the information consumption habits. Hromadske Radio’s priority is to engage directly with its audiences, in a safer and more ethical way. Tetiana also reminded of the significant challenges faced by the organization she heads: the loss of transmission equipment worth close to USD 3 million due to Russian attacks, energy supply issues, the mobilization of many experienced journalists, the lack of institutional support, increased operational costs and a volatile advertisement market.

Angelina Soldatenko, executive director of the Institute for Regional Media and Information (IRMI), stressed that local and hyper-local media are essential for fostering unity and rebuilding trust within war-affected and displaced communities. When insecurity and displacement prevent people from planning their future and weaken societal cohesion, media organizations can address these challenges by providing consistent, localized information to keep communities informed and united. Angelina praised the JTI certification process as a way for media to critically evaluate their transparency, financial structures, and editorial independence. The process of achieving certification encourages media to consistently reassess their policies and practices, and maintain high ethical and professional standards. She emphasized that understanding audience needs, improving engagement, and rethinking media strategies are crucial to maintain relevance and sustainability. More urgently, she also highlighted the need for systematic training for journalists, media managers and editors to adapt to new challenges and technologies (e.g., AI).

3 October, 2024 – The Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) is expanding its network of auditors in France

CEVA Solution and ICPF, ISO-17065-accredited auditing firms, can now audit news media in France, Belgium and Switzerland in order to deliver Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification - a tool initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to promote reliable journalism.

The international network of auditors able to certify media outlets to the JTI standard is expanding. CEVA Solution and ICPF have joined the ten auditors accredited to audit the media in their efforts to achieve transparency and professionalize their processes for producing reliable information. 

These audit firms operate in France, Belgium and Switzerland, where 120 media outlets have already committed to the JTI process. Of these, around fifty are at the audit stage. 

In the JTI certification process initiated by RSF, auditors can be called upon following an initial self-assessment by the media themselves, and the publication of a transparency report on their practices. 

Following this stage, the French, Belgian and Swiss media can now commission CEVA Solution and ICPF to carry out an independent audit, which will award them JTI certification for two years.

“In France, about thirty media outlets are already JTI-certified, directly or via their group, including TV channels belonging to the TF1, France Télévisions and France Médias Monde  groups, and titles from the EBRA press group. We're delighted to welcome two new auditing firms that complement each other to provide a certification offer that reflects the diversity of media profiles in France.” Benjamin Sabbah, Journalism Trust Initiative Director

Mindful that each new expense adds to a difficult economic equation for many media outlets, promoting the democratization of access to Journalism Trust Initiative certification has been a crucial issue for RSF since the launch of the standard. By partnering with two new certification firms, CEVA Solution and ICPF, and their networks of auditors, RSF is bringing together a range of certification services in line with the diversity of media sizes and business models.

“Transparency, ethics and ‘best practices’ are now promoted thanks to the Journalism Trust Initiative certification. CEVA SOLUTION was eager to be one of the certification organizations involved in this project. We are proud to be working with RSF to promote JTI.” – Monique Favre, CEVA Solution Director of Operations

“The ICPF teams, with the support of RSF, are prepared to support the development of the JTI certification in France starting immediately. In particular, by empowering as many newsrooms as possible to engage in an independent audit process, and giving them greater visibility and recognition as reliable media.” – Vincent Capoën, ICPF Managing Director

To strengthen the right to reliable information and fight misinformation, JTI was designed as a set of editorial best practices applicable to all kinds of players in the information sector: print media, TV channels, radio stations, online media and press agencies. Endorsed by media associations and agencies, and promoted by legislators, the JTI standard is included in the recommendations of France's États généraux de l’information.

RSF press release here

24 September, 2024 – Journalism Trust Initiative as a strategy for success for Canadian news publishers

The Online News Act, the so-called Bill C-18, Canada’s legislation that directs tech companies to pay news publishers, is now in its implementation phase. An opportunity to highlight the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) quality standard for news publishers as a benchmark to boost and safeguard independent, transparent and responsible journalism.

On September 24th 2024, Reporters Without Borders/Reporters sans frontières (RSF) convened members of the Canadian media, as well as industry stakeholders, for an in-depth event on strategies for future success for Canadian news publishers. JTI Regional Officer for Canada, Mitch St.Hilaire, kicked off the programme by introducing the JTI quality standard and its 18  criteria to the audience.

Next, esteemed media scholar and Chair of the Independent Advisory Board on Eligibility for Journalism Tax Measures, Colette Brin, gave a keynote speech outlining the Board’s work, how it designates Quality Canadian Journalism Organisations (QCJOs), and added some insightful thoughts on topics including Meta’s news business, the outcomes of the recently passed Bill C-18, and potential threats and opportunities for Canadian news publishers. “We’re all going to be dealing with [...] the issue of Generative AI and how that poses a challenge in terms of producing news and restoring the audience’s trust in the news,” Brin said. “We’re seeing in recent surveys that people are not that comfortable with AI being used in journalism, but it is still early.”

The event was followed by a panel discussion with four distinguished journalists and media executives – Public Policy Forum executive director Ed Greenspon, APTN executive director of National News & Current Affairs Cheryl McKenzie, La Converse editor-in-chief Lela Savić, and CBC News senior director of innovation and partnerships Kenny Yum – with moderation by Canadian Association of Journalists president Brent Jolly.

The panelists shared how their businesses have been affected by the passage of Bill C-18. Key topics discussed included how news publishers can be innovative in 2024, how to bridge ongoing difficulties in distribution channels, trends that they are looking out for in the coming years, and potential solutions to the decline in audience trust in news publishing.

Cheryl McKenzie (APTN): “Just the power that these platforms have is a little scary for sure. At APTN we are an expression of our Indigenous identity and we just want as many people as possible to see those stories. We do want [to collaborate] with others in the media and news industry.”

Kenny Yum (CBC News): “Relationship between any public broadcaster and their audience was taken by (platform) intermediaries. The challenge is we can’t now reset the clock. When you look at the generations and rank them on performed modes of consumption, you will see the younger you go it is Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat while the older you go you have live television, live radio, news websites. It’s that complexity that the audience is not a monolith.”

Lela Savic (La Converse): “Innovation actually happens a lot in small publishers, local news, and hyper focused publications where we don’t have a choice but to innovate. For [La Converse] innovation has mainly been about relationship building. With C-18 we have to give ourselves grace. We are struggling with this [Meta] ban and we are trying to find ways to meet our audience. For us it’s been doing more in person events.”

Ed Greenspon (Public Policy Forum): “Trust in journalism cannot be divorced entirely from the breakdown of trust in wider society. The polarization of trust is a real problem.”

20 August, 2024 – Four more African media outlets committed to trustworthy journalism obtain JTI certification

The Nigerian news site NatureNews, the Ivorian radio station Gbêkê FM and the Senegalese news sites PressAfrik and Financial Afrik have followed Niger’s Studio Kalangou in getting certified with the Journalism Trust initiative (JTI), which Reporters Without Borders (RSF) launched to provide advantages to news sources that adhere to journalistic practices and ethics. More details here

1 July, 2024 – Detector Media becomes first Ukrainian outlet to obtain a JTI certification

On 31 May 2024, Ukrainian news organisation Detector Media was granted the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, an international standard of journalistic norms created by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). Detector Media, both a media and an NGO, strives to improve the quality of Ukrainian news by fighting disinformation and propaganda, sharing a common goal with the JTI certification program. More details here

15 March, 2024 – Benjamin Sabbah to run RSF’s Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI)

Benjamin Sabbah, the former CEO of the English-language news site Wordcrunch, has joined Reporters Without Borders (RSF) as head of the Journalism Trust Initiative media certification programme, to step up its deployment to media and information actors worldwide. More details here

13 February, 2024 – 🇨🇿 Economia, a.s. is the 1st news organization in the Czech Republic to get a JTI certification

"Credibility based on quality content is the core value ofEconomia, a.s.and its titles. TheJournalism Trust Initiativecertificate objectively proves that we are on the right path. It is a message to our readers that they can really rely on the quality of the content of our titles, which is increasingly important in a time of considerable information ballast, fake news and the growing role of AI in their generation. It is also an assurance for our advertising partners that they are working with trustworthy and professional media outlets." – Lenka Černá, CEO of Economia, a.s.

Read more in the press release and on Economia's website.

2 February, 2024 – 1,000 media outlets around the world working with JTI to restore trust in information

Radio stations, television channels, online news sites, newspapers... more than 1,000 media in 80 countries have signed up to the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) to restore trust with the public. Certification underlines the transparency of the news media and respect for journalistic best practices. More details here

24 January, 2024 – European Media Freedom Act encourages the use of JTI as benchmark for identifying reliable news media

The first European legislation on media freedom, known as the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA), strengthens the right to reliable information by relying in particular on the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), a standard and mechanism initiated and developed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF). More details here