"Digital trust initiatives strive to address complex problems and have multiple goals: from empowering users, to improving journalistic practices, to driving audiences and revenues to trusted news sources—and they cannot achieve such goals alone. Bolstering trustworthy news outlets and the content
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they produce in the digital information ecosystem is no easy undertaking. It entails interfacing with a diverse set of stakeholders—readers, journalists, news organizations, platforms, and advertisers—all of whom have distinct behaviors, goals, and incentives. Yet, the potential payback is immense if all the parts in this complex system can be aligned toward a similar objective. Cooperation among these initiatives as well as with other key industry actors in this sector will be key. There are signs that such collaboration is underway.
The Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) emergency protocol powered by NewsGuard aims to support news outlets at risk and will be tested for the first time in Ukraine later this year. It is a potentially promising example of how these initiatives can work together to help newsrooms around the world establish their credibility and transparency in times of crisis. There are also indications of increased cooperation between these initiatives and tech companies. A recently launched project shows the potential for collaboration among multiple digital news trust initiatives and online platforms: the Microsoft Journalism Hub, a resource center built to connect the journalism community with tools, technology, services, and partner programs. Among its features, it includes NewsGuard’s indicator tools and offers support for JTI’s certification program. Digital trust initiatives have set ambitious goals, but their ambitions for change at a global scale remain largely unproven as these efforts are still quite young. Additionally, the opacity of platforms’ content curation and moderation processes, and the lack of data on advertisers’ investment decisions, contributes to a dearth of concrete evidence on how these actors are actually using these indicators and standards—if they are using them at all. The extent to which these initiatives will gain broader traction is yet to be seen." (Conclusions)
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"The purpose of the study was to examine the social-media-related rulings of seven European media councils over the past 10 years. In total, 250 resolutions were analysed. The report highlights the spectrum of ethical issues related to the use of social media as both a source and publishing platform
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of journalism. Unarguably one of the most difficult issues for the media councils has been where to draw the boundaries of their own authority in relation to social media. Thus far, European media councils have taken somewhat different approaches to what type of social media content they consider within their remit. While some councils only accept complaints about content posted on the media outlets’ official accounts, other councils also assess posts by individual journalists on their own social media accounts. Furthermore, of the councils that address content published by individual journalists, some would handle the complaint if the account was used for professional purposes, while others would process the complaint if the post was written in the capacity of a journalist. [...] (Conclusions)
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"The Global Handbook of Media Accountability brings together leading scholars to 'de-Westernize' the academic debate on media accountability and discuss different models of media self-regulation and newsroom transparency around the globe. With examination of the status quo of media accountability in
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forty-four countries worldwide, it offers a theoretically informed, comparative analysis of accountability regimes of different varieties. As such, it constitutes the first interdisciplinary academic framework comparing structures of media accountability across all continents and represents an invaluable basis for further research and policy-making. It will therefore appeal to scholars and students of media studies and journalism, mass communication, sociology and political science, as well as policy-makers and practitioners." (Publisher description)
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"This study is unique in its attempt to map both law and policy (regulation and self-regulation) and identify measures to promote gender equality in the media and women’s freedom of expression. The study covers policy instruments adopted at international, regional, national, industry and media hou
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se levels in over 100 countries. Parallel to the global study, case studies have been developed in a sample of countries in which Fojo Media Institute is active: Armenia, Bangladesh, Rwanda, Somalia, Sweden and Zimbabwe. The analysis reveals patterns of inconsistencies between commitment to gender equality in national policies, as well as gender equality in media policies and legislation. Widespread interest in gender equality at the overall international and national level does not appear to filter into statutory media sector regulation." (Executive summary)
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"Esta investigación tiene como objetivo determinar indicadores clave para evaluar la capacidad de transparencia, autorregulación y participación de los usuarios, las tres dimensiones de la accountability. Se adoptó un triple punto de partida metodológico: revisión sistemática de literatura so
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bre indicadores de accountability y sus características, un mapeo de medios de referencia con indicadores de accountability, y evaluación de medios. Se obtuvo un sistema de 11 indicadores clave para medir y establecer comparaciones entre sitios web de medios de comunicación y determinar si satisfacen las tres dimensiones clave de la rendición de cuentas y los elementos asociados. Dicho sistema puede ser aplicado en múltiples escenarios para fomentar un periodismo de calidad." (Resumen)
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"The purpose of this ITP and this reference book material, is to look at ways to strengthen independent journalism with a “public interest” mission, both through voluntary self-regulation and a better un derstanding of official oversight and legal safeguards for the news media, in all its differ
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ent forms and po litical environments." (Introduction)
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"This report seeks to serve two purposes. The first is to research and document the state of media freedom and safety of journalists in Africa and to provide specific and evidence-based recommendations to guide policy makers, media development organisations and other media freedom and human rights a
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ctors to address identified gaps that undermine the safety of journalists and media freedom in Africa. Secondly, the report seeks to reinforce the safety of journalists and enhance legal and institutional frameworks by providing recommendations to support the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists (UNPoA) and the Issue of Impunity" (Introduction, page 6)
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"The study specifically focuses on five types of harmful content: a) hate speech and hate narratives; b) denials of war crimes and glorification of war criminals; c) ethno-nationally and/or politically biased media reporting; d) disinformation; and e) attacks, threats and smear campaigns against ind
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ividuals. After giving overviews of the five types of harmful content, their targets and consequences, the following chapters are dedicated to the legislative, regulatory and self-regulatory frameworks for the five types of harmful content, how effectively they are used online, what the major obstacles are in their implementation and to what extent they are aligned with international standards. The study also addresses the practices of the courts, the Communications Regulatory Agency of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Press Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina and other relevant actors in countering harmful content. The final parts of the study are dedicated to the community guidelines of social networks and examples of frameworks in other countries. The scope of harmful content online in Bosnia and Herzegovina is worrying and calls for a comprehensive response. The study emphasizes the need to safeguard freedom of expression and to find responses and practices that are aligned with international human rights law and that do not chill or censor online speech or discourage the flow of diverse sources of information and opinions." (Executive summary)
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"Platforms have power. But this power is not unchecked. Governments have an important role to play in protecting their citizens' rights vis-à-vis third parties and ensuring a communication order in which rights are not violated. (And in addition, of course, they need to respect human rights themsel
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ves and not arbitrarily shut down sites or use their power to make the Internet less free and open). As leader of working group 2 it is my distinct privilege to present this collection which unites studies by researchers within the Global Digital Human Rights Networks on issues connected to the overarching question of how platforms deal with human rights and their human rights obligations. This study is a key deliverable of our working group in the second year of the Global Digital Human Rights Network's activities. We will follow-up with Guidelines for platforms and an Assessment Model for states and other stakeholders in 2024. We developed this study under Corona conditions but were able to meet in the Tyrolean Alps in Obergurgl, Austria, in July 2022 to finalize this study." (Preface, page 7)
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"The media in Zambia have been in a state of uncertainty since Zambia reinstated democratic governance in the early 1990s. Despite promising initial steps to deregulate the media that started under President Chiluba’s government in the mid-1990s, achieving these objectives in successive years has
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proved difficult. Successive governments have exhibited increasing aversion towards free and independent media, instead increasing efforts to regulate. This is significant, because comparisons with Kaunda’s autocratic era before 1991 cast the state in a friendlier light towards the media, defying normative theories. After both the Media Ethics Council of Zambia and Zambia Media Ethics Council (ZAMEC) failed as self-regulatory mechanisms in the mid to late 2000s, current state efforts have turned to create a hybrid statutory self-regulatory framework. This is a challenge because Zambia’s democracy has come under pressure from increasing political intolerance. Furthermore, while media professionals support the idea of regulation to strengthen professionalism, they often disagree on the value of statutory self-regulation and its implications. This study used the In-Depth Interview approach on 23 media professionals and documentary analysis to sketch the history and future implications of media regulation efforts in Zambia. Results show a checkered past but present an even more complicated future. The history of the Independent Broadcasting Authority shows that the proposed statutory self-regulatory framework presents more challenges to the media than ever before. This paper aims to contribute to global media studies and specifically the problems of regulation, the state, and media freedom in an African context." (Abstract)
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"Self regulation through peer review is a system whereby journalists hold each other accountable for the quality and accuracy of their content. If the Kenyan experience is anything to go by, this measure can provide an additional layer of scrutiny – additional to a state ombudsman or media houses
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internal quality controls – that is both quick and less prone to political interference. Having edited the the 'Media Observer' and contributed several reviews, I offer the following seven measures to take to ensure your own peer review programme is an effective tool in the fight to restore audience trust: Guard goodwill [...] Make it part of a routine [...] Consider hiring a public editor [...] Regularly review editorial policies [...] Communicate openly about external forces [...] More carrots, fewer sticks [...] Supplement with a mentorship programme." (Making peer review work for you, page 20-22)
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"Media accountability has attracted the interest of journalism scholars, media managers and policy makers as the debate grows on how to ensure a free and accountable media. However, media accountability is rarely studied beyond the theoretical and academic debate, especially in many parts of Africa.
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This article presents the findings of an investigation into media accountability policies and practices at two newsrooms in Kenya. Data came from document analysis and face-to-face interviews with various cadres of journalists and media managers of the newspapers. A range of policies and practices for media accountability guide the journalism at the newsrooms. The editorial policy and other ad hoc policies, routine gate-keeping processes, internal editorial evaluations and capacity-building processes are used to ensure quality and professionalism. The newsrooms also have various practices designed for dialogue and interaction with members of the public. However, media accountability is hampered by a weak professional culture; the dominance of commercial values; and deep ethnic and political fissures in the country. The management of the newsrooms should be encouraged to invest in media accountability as a moral obligation to society and to justify their quest for autonomy and independence from political and economic pressures." (Abstract)
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"We define journalism as the gathering, production and dissemination of information in a framework of ethical values. Its purpose is to provide citizens with information that empowers them to fully participate in society. We commit ourselves to four primary indicators of ethical quality in journalis
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tic work: ethical practice in editorial activity; good governance in the ownership and management of news media; respect for principles of self-regulation and active engagement with the public." (Preamble, page 6)
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"Le présent ouvrage, qui procède à la nécropsie des cellules cancéreuses des différents aspects de l’espace médiatico-journalistique de la formation sociale haïtienne, offre un cadre procédural à l’aune de l’Éthique de la discussion de Jürgen Habermas et de l’Éthique reconstruct
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ive de Jean-Marc Ferry devant servir de tablature à l’autorégulation de la presse haïtienne." (Dos de couverture)
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