Welcome back to On Assignment, the podcast where we explore the world of journalism and how it works, how it should work, and how it could work. I'm your guest host, Jane Swisshelm, and today we're tackling a big question: How can news organizations build trust with you, the public?

It's a really important question because, let's be honest, trust in the news has been, well, kind of low lately. With rampant attacks for political reasons, misinformation and disinformation flooding social media from foreign states sowing instability for geopolitical gain, bad actors focused on profit, and well, good old-fashioned trolls making mayhem for laughs... it's a jungle out there. For journalism to do its job – which is helping us all stay informed – trust is essential. So, let's dive into some real, practical ideas newsrooms are trying based on actual research.

One of the most powerful strategies is transparency. Think of it like a news organization saying, "Don't just trust us blindly; let us show you how we do our job." This is the idea of moving from "trust me" to "show me" journalism. Transparency means being open about things like journalistic practices and decision-making processes.

Research from the Center for Media Engagement has looked into practical ways to do this online. They tested adding a simple box to news stories that would "explain your process" – telling readers why and how the story was covered, like where the reporters got their information. What did they find? Well, according to the Center for Media Engagement, adding this kind of box significantly improved how people felt about the news organization. For example, in an experiment using stories from USA TODAY and the Tennessean, people who saw the box rated those news organizations higher on things like being transparent, informative, accurate, and fair. This "explain your process" box is something the Center for Media Engagement suggests is relatively quick and easy for newsrooms to start doing.

Another group focused on building trust through transparency is called The Trust Project. They are an international effort working with news organizations. The Trust Project promotes something called the 8 Trust Indicators. These are specific bits of information news outlets can provide so you can figure out if the news is trustworthy. According to The Trust Project, some of these indicators include:

Knowing who is behind the news and whether they follow rules for independent reporting.

Learning about the journalist's expertise and reputation.

Seeing clear labels that show if a story is news, opinion, or something else. This is crucial because news aims to be impartial to help you form your own opinions, while opinion pieces are meant to persuade.

Checking the sources the journalist used, especially for complex or sensitive stories, so you can check their reliability yourself.

Understanding the methods used to report the story – how much reporting was done, who else was involved.

Finding information about the news organization's best practices, like their ethics policies, who funds them, and how they handle corrections.

On the topic of funding and ownership, research from the Reuters Institute indicates that audiences actually want more information about who owns and funds the news media they consume. People view different ways news is paid for, like subscriptions or advertising, with varying levels of trust.

Beyond just showing you how the news is made, news organizations can build trust through engagement and listening to their communities. This means having a two-way conversation.

Trusting News, an organization that helps journalists earn trust, suggests thinking about public interaction with a "customer service approach." This involves asking for feedback, responding to comments, and even meeting with people who read or watch the news. One really interesting idea Trusting News suggests is to interview community members not just for a story, but as "customers" – asking them about their concerns and what they think journalists misunderstand about their lives or communities. Trusting News notes that when these conversations happen, people reported being more likely to trust the journalist and the newsroom.

Research by the Center for Media Engagement and Trusting News looked at how local TV newsrooms could build trust during their broadcasts. Through focus groups, they found that incorporating "trust elements" into stories helped. These elements included explaining why a story was being covered, providing additional resources at the end of reports, and inviting audience participation. For instance, explaining that a story about a police officer's arrest was covered because they hold a position of power made people feel the station cared about the community. Adding a domestic abuse hotline number at the end of that story was also seen as helpful and built trust. The key, according to the research, is to keep these trust elements brief and to the point.

Listening to the community also helps newsrooms fill information voids. When people can't find reliable information, other, less trustworthy sources can fill that space. By asking the community what they're curious about, newsrooms can report on those topics and provide needed information. The International Center for Journalists, a nonprofit that promotes journalism worldwide and Trusting News, who I mentioned earlier, found that listening to and making deeper connections with the public can help build trust because mistrust often comes from negative assumptions people make about journalism; proactive listening can address this.

Some experts also talk about a deeper way to build trust: centering "care" in journalism. ICFJ reference journalist Sue Robinson's work, suggesting that journalists who build trust do so by forming relationships based on an ethic of care. This involves being attentive, listening, understanding community needs, and sometimes connecting people with resources. It's about being present in the community and recognizing that different people need different support. According to the American Press Institute, this approach can lead to people being more open with reporters, helping them to "get the story right".

Finally, news organizations can build trust through their editorial practices. This involves choices about what stories to cover and how to cover them.

One practice is focusing coverage on what the public cares most about, including stories about everyday people, not just powerful figures.

Another is exploring solutions to problems, rather than just highlighting the negative. Research from the Reuters Institute suggests that audiences generally want to see more of this "solutions-focused" journalism.

A foundational element is committing to accuracy and fairness. This includes correcting errors quickly, clearly, and visibly. According to the News Literacy Project, credible sources are transparent about identifying and correcting errors.

News organizations can also build trust by being real and authentic. Trusting News advises local TV journalists to "Be Real" by being genuine, owning up to mistakes, and making it easy for people to contact reporters or provide feedback. Introducing journalists to the audience and sharing their connection to the community can also help, as journalists are sometimes seen as outsiders. Clearly labeling opinion content is also important.

Ultimately, as noted by the Reuters Institute, research shows there's no single "silver bullet" for solving the problem of declining trust. Different strategies work for different people. But by consistently focusing on transparency, engagement, and covering the issues that truly matter to their communities in accurate and fair ways, news organizations can take practical steps to strengthen that vital relationship with the public.

That's all for this supplemental episode of "On Assignment," but we'll be back to dig into more critical issues facing the news and our society.

"On Assignment" is produced by Robert Sterner.

Thanks for listening.