It’s stressful in today’s world with the plethora of information at our fingertips. Through the midst of it all and with information overload, it can feel overwhelming and like there’s nowhere else to turn.

But, don’t worry because there are some great tools you can use to  verify the news organizations you consume from. 

The Trust Project is an organization dedicated to improving the credibility and trustworthiness of online news sources. One of the ways they do this is through their “Trust Indicators,” a set of guidelines based on best practices in journalism.

These Trust Indicators are designed to help readers assess the reliability and integrity of news content. They provide a framework for news organizations to enhance transparency and build trust with their audiences. Let’s take a closer look at some of these Trust Indicators, and how they work in practical use. 

• Best Practices: The Trust Project encourages news organizations to follow standard journalistic practices, such as providing information about their editorial policies, ethics, and corrections in their About section. This helps readers understand the editorial standards and practices followed by the news organization, which can enhance trust.

• Author/Reporter Information: The Trust Project emphasizes the importance of attribution and transparency in news content. News organizations are encouraged to attribute articles to specific authors or reporters, and provide their biographies with credentials and contact information. This allows readers to assess the expertise and credibility of the authors, which can help build trust in the content.

• Type of Work: The Trust Project promotes transparency in the type of content being presented, whether it’s news, opinion, analysis, or sponsored content. Clearly indicating the type of content helps readers understand the nature of the content they are consuming, which can impact their perception of its credibility.

• Citations and References: The Trust Project emphasizes the importance of reliable sources in news content. News organizations are encouraged to include citations and references to reliable sources, supporting the information presented. This allows readers to verify the accuracy and credibility of the information, which can enhance trust in the content.

• Diverse Voices: The Trust Project recognizes the importance of diverse perspectives in news coverage. News organizations are encouraged to cover a wide range of topics, perspectives, and opinions from various authors and sources, representing diverse voices. This can provide a balanced and inclusive coverage of news and information, which can enhance trust.

• Local Expertise: The Trust Project highlights the importance of local expertise in news reporting. News organizations are encouraged to focus on news and information related to a specific region or locality, providing local expertise on regional issues. This can enhance credibility in covering local news and understanding local contexts.

• Funding and Organization: The Trust Project emphasizes transparency in the funding and organization of news organizations. News organizations are encouraged to provide information about their ownership, funding, and management structure in their About section. This can help readers understand any potential biases or influences that may impact the news content, which can impact trust.

• Corrections Policy: The Trust Project promotes accountability in news reporting. News organizations are encouraged to have a clear corrections policy and promptly make corrections when errors are identified. This demonstrates a commitment to accuracy and accountability, which can enhance trust in the content.

For my evaluation, I have chosen the following two local Arizona news organizations:

Arizona Republic/AZcentral.com and Arizona Mirror

Arizona Republic/ AZcentral.com

Indicators Present:

• Best Practices: The website follows standard journalistic practices and includes information about its editorial policies, corrections, and ethics in its About Us– Ethical Principles section.
• Author/Reporter Information: Articles on AZcentral.com are attributed to specific authors, and their biographies with credentials and contact information are provided.

• Type of Work: The website clearly indicates the type of content, whether it is news, opinion, analysis, or sponsored content.
• Citations and References: Articles on AZcentral.com often include citations and references to reliable sources, supporting the information presented.
• Diverse Voices: The website covers a wide range of topics, perspectives, and opinions from various authors and sources, representing diverse voices.

• Local Expertise: AZcentral.com focuses on news and information related to the state of Arizona, providing local expertise on regional issues.
• Funding and Organization: The About Us section does not provide accurate information about the ownership of the company, USA Today that operates the Arizona Republic. USA Today is owned and operated by Gannett. 
• Corrections Policy: The website has a clear corrections policy and makes corrections when errors are identified.

Arizona Mirror

Indicators Present:

• Best Practices: The website follows standard journalistic practices laid out in its Ethics section. It is also a part of the larger, State Newsroom association. This affiliate adheres to the SPJ code of ethics. 

• Author/Reporter Information: Articles on Arizona Mirror attribute to individual reporters, whether in network or are local for Arizona are provided.
• Type of Work: The website categorizes stories and articles simply. 

• Citations and References: Articles include accurate information and citations. 
• Diverse Voices: The website covers diverse perspectives and voices, and has a dedicated DEI page. Like this article about the overrepresentation of black and Hispanic students in suspensions in school. 

• Local Expertise: Arizona Mirror focuses on news and information related to the state of Arizona, providing local expertise on regional issues.
• Funding and Organization: The About section of the website provides information about the publication’s nonprofit status, and affiliations. 
• Corrections Policy: The website has a clear corrections policy saying, “we will work quickly to address the error, correcting it within the story and noting in the story that an error was made and corrected. We will also make needed corrections in our social media. If a reader discovers an error on one of our news sites, they are encouraged to email the Arizona Mirror editor, who can be found on the ‘About’ page.”

Overall Assessment:

The Arizona Republic/AZcentral.com demonstrates a good level of trustworthiness according to the Trust Project indicators. It adheres to strict policies in ethics, transparency, and truthfulness. However, they are owned by the biggest newspaper company in America, and do have private and equitable interests at stake. In 2022, the Gannett laid off more than 500 people, according to this Poynter article. I find the Arizona Mirror to exhibit a high level of trustworthiness based on the Trust Project indicators. The website focuses on local expertise, providing information specific to the state of Arizona. There is transparency about the organization’s funding as a nonprofit status and affiliates in the About section enhances its trustworthiness.

And there you go! That is how you look into a news organization’s trust indicators. Easy as 1…2…8!