Cindy Durham | America's Newspapers
In an address last week at the 2025 Mega-Conference, Rufus Friday, executive director of The Center for Integrity in News Reporting, acknowledged the challenge that the media faces in restoring confidence in journalism, but says he believes trust can be rebuilt.
“I know, as most of you know in the room, trust in the media is at its lowest point in 50 years,” he said, adding that this isn't an opinion — its reality backed up by data. He said the Gallup Poll, which typically surveys around 1,000 people, showed that 72 percent of Americans trusted the media in 1976.
He said this compares with a recent study by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism that surveyed 92,000 people across 46 countries, with a simple question: Do you trust the media in your country? “As you guessed it,” Friday said, “the United States ranked dead last with only 29 percent expressing any kind of trust.”
Friday told the attendees at the Mega-Conference that he believes, however, that “when journalists get it right, when we lead with humility, present all sides and don't assume that we have every answer, we do earn trust. And, trust me: we can rebuild it.”
The crisis of trust
He cited three main factors that he believes led to the crisis that the media is currently facing:
- The nature of bias: He said “humans naturally seek out information that aligns with their beliefs. While this is understandable in daily lfe, it should not dictate journalism. And unfortunately, many journalists have blurred the lines between reporting and also opinion.”
- The rise of 24/7 cable news and social media: “Before cable news,” Friday said, “newspapers and network TV followed strict journalistic standards, but cable networks lowered those standards by rushing stories to air without verifying them first. ... Social media took us even further, allowing anyone to post anything, often anonymously.”
- There's been a shift in journalism education and hiring practices: He said traditional newspapers and news organizations “used to recruit the best local reporters. Now hiring often favors digital influencers over trained journalists.” He also cited a small but vocal group of journalism professors who have openly questioned the value of objectivity. Friday said Arizona State University's Walter Cronkite School of Journalism's 2023 report, “Beyond Objectivity,” found 75 editors advocating to abandon objectivity in news. “But, there's hope,” he said, noting that leaders in journalism began to push back on that.
Rebuilding trust
To combat the lack of trust, Friday outlined the mission of The Center for Integrity in News Reporting and steps it is taking to rebuild trust:
- Reward the best examples of impartial, objective and fair news reporting in its annual contest that awards $25,000 in each of five categories: Print Reporting, Broadcast Reporting, Cable Network Reporting, Digital Reporting and White House Correspondents' Association Members. The entry period for this year has closed; watch for information about next year's contest after the first of the year.
- Have distinguished journalists meet with journalism students, give guest lectures, teach classes and explain how trust is gained when the news is reported “impartially without fear or favor” — as Adolph Ochs, the longtime owner and publisher of the Chattanooga Times and later the owner of The New York Times, advocated.
- Journalism schools and media organizations also are being encouraged to adopt their own statement of core journalistic values in news reporting and, most importantly, to display them transparently and prominently for readers, listeners and for viewers. He said this will encourage the public to reward these news organizations with their subscriptions, with donations and other forms of support.
- The Center, Friday and others, also will be conducting speaking engagements at civic clubs (particularly in mid-sized markets) and encouraging citizens to ask their local media organizations to establish a clear set of core values. Friday said media organizations that do so will be recognized on the Center's website.
A call to action
Friday's call to action for newspapers went beyond publishing a statement of core journalistic values. He also is encouraging newspapers to:
- Educate their audience and readers by hosting guest journalists in their markets who speak strongly for impartial news reporting.
- Talk with friends and colleagues about why objective journalism matters.
- Partner with the Center on trust-building programs.
- Support the Center's polling and research efforts in measuring trust and objective, impartial news reporting.
- Become a model for transparency.
- And, submit impartial reporting from staff members for the Center's awards in 2026.
Although he said some believe that it's too late to rebuild trust, Friday said, “If we believe that, I don't think any of us would be here right now. We're in newsrooms. We're building sustainable revenue models. ... We're mentoring the next generation. We're showing up at conferences like this, determined to do better. And, that's what gives us hope.”
He said: “Trust isn't built one speech or one survey at a time. It's rebuilt one decision, one headline, one newsroom policy at a time. It's rebuilt when a local editor publishes a correction prominently and quickly — because the truth matters more than just saving face.
“It's rebuilt when a journalist covers a story that they personally disagree with. But, because of objectivity, it still has a place in their profession; they'll report it anyway. It's rebuilt when news organizations post their values on the home page — not because they have to, but because they believe the public deserves to know.”
View the video of Rufus Friday's address to the Mega-Conference
