Colorado Public Radio (CPR) is proud to announce it is the first U.S. media outlet to be awarded a Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification, an international benchmark initiated by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) to fight disinformation by rewarding editorial and professional excellence. CPR was independently audited by the Alliance for Audited Media (AAM), which confirmed CPR’s certification according to the criteria of JTI’s international standard.
In order to achieve the certification, CPR undertook a thorough self-assessment of its editorial practices designed by JTI to help media outlets gauge their transparency, independence and professionalism.
“Our credibility is paramount in our news coverage. We take great care as we report and produce news stories. Going through this process is an endorsement of our standards, but also helps us ensure our values are understood inside and outside of the newsroom,” said CPR News Executive Editor Kevin Dale.
After completing the self-assessment, which is published online in the form of a JTI transparency report, AAM audited the results to provide the certification, which is the first of its kind for a media outlet in the U.S.
“AAM is proud to verify that Colorado Public Radio has met the requirements surrounding transparency, professionalism and accountability to earn certification from the Journalism Trust Initiative,” said Tom Drouillard, AAM CEO and managing director. “JTI aligns with our continuing mission to help quality media earn greater industry recognition for their commitment to trust.”
The JTI benchmark is an official ISO standard measuring news publishers’ ability to deliver editorial content that adheres to specific conditions of transparency, independence and professionalism. ISO standards are used worldwide by external, independent certifiers to complete conformity audits. Prior to offering JTI-specific audit services, AAM went through its own audit to earn accreditation for the JTI conformity assessment, an official recognition of the certifier’s legitimacy.
“The U.S. is proving to be one of the biggest growth opportunities for JTI. We congratulate CPR for paving the way for many more media outlets who embark on this process,” said RSF USA Executive Director Clayton Weimers. “The transparency and best practices demonstrated by adopting the JTI are worthwhile in and of themselves, but the effort is also starting to be rewarded with tangible external benefits. JTI enthusiasm is growing among advertisers, tech platforms and other industry partners, opening the door to expanded revenue stream, audience growth, and more.”
As of July 2023, 100 media outlets from around the world have completed the JTI self-assessment and published their transparency reports. In the U.S., just over 100 media outlets have started the JTI process and 13 of them have achieved the self-evaluation step and published their report. The assessment is available via an online portal and is free to complete. After completing this step, media outlets have the option to be audited by an external certifier, as CPR did with AAM. To date, 17 publishers have achieved this level of certification.
