Can the media be trusted again? EJN founder Aidan White reveals the path to redemption
Media can adopt mechanisms to prove their credibility, such as self-assessment and independent certification
This interview by Elida Zylbeari was first published by Portalb.mk. An edited version was published by Global Voices under a content-sharing agreement with the Metamorphosis Foundation and is republished here with permission.
Aidan White is the founder of the Ethical Journalism Network (EJN), was general secretary of the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) for 25 years, has worked extensively as a journalist and advocate for human rights, ethics and press freedom. He played a key role in creating global initiatives like IFEX and INSI, served on the IMPRESS appointments panel in 2014, and edited influential EJN reports on topics such as media freedom, corruption, and journalism in the post-truth era before stepping down as EJN Director in 2018 and becoming Honorary President in 2021.
In this interview, he discusses the current global lack of trust in the media and what, if anything, can be done about it. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
Portalb.mk: Why is there a lack of trust in the media nowadays?
Aidan White (AW): We live in a time when there’s a major problem with trust, not because the public or the world at large is specifically against journalism, but because of how people receive information today. There is an incredible amount of bias, propaganda, and abusive communication, particularly through social networks. People are confused and uncertain about what is true and what isn’t. As a result, they no longer trust information, even when it is well-researched or produced by scientists and credible researchers, which is vital for the understanding of the world.
This lack of trust stems from several factors. One is the changing nature of communication itself. There is an overwhelming amount of disinformation, abusive content, unethical and factually incorrect information, malicious lies and propaganda everywhere. This creates a chaotic information environment.
Politically, we see governments and various actors using information networks to spread deceptive information and abusive communications. This interference affects democratic processes, such as elections. As a result of this information chaos, people have changed – they now have less trust in external information sources and instead rely on their close, personal networks for information. This includes friends, neighbours, and community groups like those on WhatsApp. This shift to narrow, localised communities for news and information has created a broader trust problem, which is very dangerous. The danger lies in the potential for malicious information to have an undue influence on society. For instance, it has become very easy to spread hate speech, incite violence, and escalate tensions, especially during times of conflict or economic decline. Media plays a crucial role in combating this. Professional journalism has a social responsibility to provide trustworthy information to the public.
Portalb.mk: But has the media proved itself trustworthy enough? I’m talking specifically about professional media.
AW: Many in the media might believe they have done so, but I don’t think they have. They haven’t proven it convincingly. Take the United States as an example. The professional media in the US thought they were telling the truth – and they were, to a great extent. They reported the truth about Donald Trump: his misogyny, his racism, his alleged law-breaking, his unreliability, and all the trials he faced. However, despite their truth-telling, many people still voted for him.
Portalb.mk: Why?
AW: Because while the media focused on exposing Trump’s flaws. they failed to connect with the realities of the voters’ lives. Many voters didn’t care about the accusations against Trump. For them, the truth about Trump was secondary. What mattered more was their belief that he could improve their lives economically or support their families. Many of these voters were from lower socio-economic backgrounds, and the media overlooked their priorities. This was the media’s mistake. Truth-telling alone is not enough. The American media learnt an important lesson: it is essential not just to report the truth but to connect with people, to understand their perspectives and motivations. Without that connection, even the most accurate reporting will fail to resonate.
Portalb.mk: In one of your public speeches, you have mentioned that media has become elitist, or there is a danger of it becoming elitist. Could you elaborate?
AW: Absolutely. One of the problems with journalism today is the divide between the media and the general public. Elitist media figures often believe they understand the world better than the public and have the authority to tell people how to think. This attitude is dangerous.
News media and journalists should not be elitist; they should be part of society. They need to understand all levels of the social pyramid – how people live, work and think. When media fails to connect with people at the bottom of the pyramid, those people will ignore them. This disconnect is what happened in the US and in many elections worldwide.
This year, we’ve seen a wave of elections globally, and in almost every case voters have sent strong messages to existing governments. This happened in France, Britain, across Europe, and the US. These outcomes highlight how poorly media has been connecting with the public, leading to a dangerous erosion of trust.
Media needs the public’s trust to function effectively. To regain it, the media must be transparent, accountable, and connected to the people they serve.
Portalb.mk: So, how can media rebuild public trust?
AW: To rebuild 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, media must connect with the public by engaging directly. listening to people’s concerns, and understanding their perspectives.
Portalb.mk: How can media demonstrate these commitments in practice?
AW: Media can adopt mechanisms to prove their credibility, such as self-assessment and independent certification. A good example is the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI), which encourages media organisations to produce reports detailing how they respect human rights, adhere to journalism ethics, and outline their ownership structures and editorial policies. These report are then verified by independent auditing bodies, and once certified, media organisations can present this to the public as proof of their transparency, ethical conduct and professionalism. This verifiable certification helps build trust because it allows people to independently confirm the media’s claims.
Portalb.mk: Why is this important?
AW: In a world rife with deception, lies, and dishonesty, mechanisms like the Journalism Trust Initiative are vital. They provide a credible way for media to demonstrate their reliability and regain public trust.