the-center-for-integrity-in-news-reporting

CFINR Executive Director Makes Case for Objectivity at National Journalism Trust Conference

Mon, 20 Apr 2026 19:12:29 GMT

OXFORD, Miss. — Rufus Friday, executive director of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting, delivered a 45-minute address April 17 at the University of Mississippi calling on journalists, news organizations and journalism students to publicly commit to core journalistic values as the foundation for rebuilding public trust in the American press.

Friday spoke before an audience of approximately 100 journalists, academics, civic leaders and students at the Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation's national symposium, "How the News Media Can Regain Public Trust," held on the Oxford campus.

Walter E. Hussman Jr., the retired publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and WEHCO Media, and founder of CFINR, attended the event in person and participated in the question-and-answer session that followed Friday's 45-minute address.

The symposium brought together a range of national voices on the press trust crisis, including Brian Stelter, CNN's chief media analyst; Kathy Kiely, a veteran journalist and press freedom fellow; Vivian Walker, a practitioner in residence at Georgetown University; former U.S. Rep. Adam Kinzinger; former U.S. Rep. Joseph Kennedy III; and Ellen McCarthy, chairwoman and CEO of the Truth in Media Cooperative. The event was hosted by the Jordan Center and sponsored in part by CFINR.

Friday’s address anchored its argument in polling data, citing Gallup's September 2025 survey showing that only 28 percent of Americans now express a great deal or fair amount of trust in the news media, down from 72 percent in 1976. He noted that for the first time since the annual poll began, complete distrust of the media, at 36 percent, outweighs any level of trust.

"For the first time in the recorded history of this poll, complete distrust outweighs any trust," Friday said. "And it's worse here than anywhere else."

He pointed to the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism's survey of 92,000 people across 46 countries, which ranked the United States last in media trust at 29 percent, and to a June 2025 Pew Research Center survey showing that trust in major national outlets breaks almost perfectly along partisan lines, with 58 percent of Democrats trusting CNN and 58 percent of Republicans distrusting it, and 56 percent of Republicans trusting Fox News while 64 percent of Democrats distrust it.

"We have a mirror problem," Friday said. "Both sides see exactly the bias they expect to see, in exactly the outlets they already distrust."

Friday identified four causes for the decline: the nature of bias perception and the algorithmic amplification of confirming content; the rise of 24-hour cable news and social media; shifts in journalism education and hiring practices; and what he described as a debate inside journalism education itself over the value of objectivity.

He addressed that last point at length, acknowledging that some frustrations driving that debate were legitimate. False balance, inadequate coverage of underrepresented communities and the use of objectivity as a shield against difficult reporting were real failures, he said. But he argued those failures were reasons to live up to the standard, not abandon it.

"The profession doesn't need to abandon the standard," Friday said. "It needs to live up to it."

Friday devoted a portion of his remarks to the origin of CFINR and to Hussman, who was in the audience. He recounted how Hussman, watching a CNN promotional spot in 2017, heard a prominent anchor say she did not believe in the "false equivalency" of giving both sides of a story. Hussman responded by drafting a statement of journalistic values and running it consistently across all WEHCO Media newspapers.

The largest share of the address was devoted to what Friday called CFINR's single most important programmatic priority: persuading news organizations to adopt and publicly display a statement of core journalistic values. He cited the Bangor Daily News as one example of a news organization that has done so, and described a mural unveiled at the Stars and Stripes news facility at Camp Humphreys in South Korea, the largest U.S. military installation overseas, bearing five words: Credibility. Impartiality. Truth-telling. Balance. Accountability.

Friday serves as chair of the Stars and Stripes National Publisher Advisory Board.

On CFINR's national awards program, Friday reported that entries to the organization's annual journalism competition have grown from 102 in the program's first year to 127 the following year to 397 in 2025, a 213 percent increase in a single year. The national prizes carry a cash award of $25,000 per category, more than the Pulitzer Prize.

CFINR has also expanded its state-level awards program. A three-year, $210,000 grant from the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation funds $5,000 prizes across 14 southeastern states. A separate Stanton Foundation gift of $90,000 covers six New England states, and a recent additional gift adds Ohio, bringing the total to 21 states and $315,000 in grant funding.

CFINR also works with 23 journalism school partners through an initiative which brings award-winning journalists into classrooms at schools including Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, USC's Annenberg School, and the University of Missouri, with more college and university partners constantly being added.

Friday closed by speaking directly to the journalism students in the room, telling them the public had not given up on good journalism — only on what it perceived journalism had become.

"Never compromise," he said. "Cover your community through objectivity and impartiality. It takes time to rebuild trust. One headline at a time. One correction at a time, done quickly and with humility. One fair story at a time."

The symposium also featured a keynote luncheon address and fireside chat with Kinzinger; a session on investigative sports journalism with journalist Graeme Joffe; a panel on community versus audience in local journalism featuring Andre Natta of the Alabama Initiative for Independent Journalism, Louisiana Illuminator staff writer Wes Muller and Sarah Gamard of the Center for Community News; and a closing session on the international perspective with Clayton Weimers, executive director of Reporters Without Borders USA.

The event concluded with the introduction of the 2026 Oxford Declaration on Journalistic Integrity and Public Trust, a framework developed collaboratively by symposium participants addressing transparency, algorithmic accountability, independence, attribution standards and the separation of news from opinion and commentary.

David A. Sommers is the consulting communications director for the Center for Integrity in News Reporting.

A video clip of CFINR Founder Walter E. Hussman Jr. and Executive Director Rufus Friday answering audience questions, following a presentation

at the University of Mississippi's Jordan Center for Journalism Advocacy and Innovation's national symposium, "How the News Media Can Regain Public Trust."

COLUMN: In Austin, trust in local news was more than a talking point

Sun, 19 Apr 2026 20:46:15 GMT

CFINR consulting communications director David A. Sommers addresses the "Trust and Audience Loyalty" panel at the America's Newspapers Mega-Conference in Austin, joined by Southern Newspapers executive editor Chris Lykins (center) and The Facts publisher Yvonne Mintz.

AUSTIN — The America's Newspapers Mega-Conference draws publishers, editors and industry leaders from across the country, and this year it landed at a moment when the conversation about trust in local journalism is front and center in national discussions. I attended the conference representing the Center for Integrity in News Reporting, participating in a panel on trust and audience loyalty. What I heard from the room confirmed something CFINR has been advocating since its founding: the industry knows the problem, and there are concrete steps news organizations can take to address it with their audiences.

The panel was introduced by Leonard Woolsey, president of Southern Newspapers; and panelists also included Yvonne Mintz, vice president of editorial and publisher of The Facts; and Chris Lykins, an editor with Southern Newspapers. Together they represented the kind of long-tenured, community-rooted news leadership that the trust conversation often centers on but rarely features directly. The discussion got substantive fast.

One of the most thoughtful exchanges came from the executive director of a state press associations, pushing back on the methodology behind long-running, well-established national media trust surveys. The argument deserves consideration. When pollsters ask the public about "the media," the attendee said, they bundle local community journalism together with cable news and national conglomerates. The resulting trust numbers misrepresent what's actually happening at the local level. That state association's on polling shows trust in local news tracking significantly higher than trust in the media in the abstract.

CFINR has cited Gallup's figures extensively — 28% trust nationally is a genuine crisis — but the' point reinforces why local news organizations have both reason for concern and reason for confidence. The problem is real. The opportunity is also real. I used the moment to note that CFINR is developing its own research to better capture that distinction, without getting into specifics. That landed with the room.

The broader conference reflected what CFINR has been saying to press associations from Kentucky to Minnesota: this industry is not in retreat on the trust question. Dean Ridings, CEO of America's Newspapers, captured it well in his post-conference reflection, writing that while AI dominated many sessions, the enduring message was that "meaningful, trusted content matters. In a fractured media environment, it is a real advantage and one of the clearest ways local newspapers stand apart."

That thoughtful sentiment aligned directly with what our panel explored. Trust is not a marketing message. It's foundational and essential, built through daily editorial decisions, impartiality and objectivity, institutional transparency and a willingness to state clearly what a newsroom stands for. That is precisely the work CFINR supports, helping news organizations develop and publish statements of core journalistic values, recognizing impartial reporting through national awards, and bringing that case directly to industry gatherings like Mega.

The room at our session was at capacity, with roughly 75 people in attendance and strong questions that pushed the conversation past its scheduled time. That appetite reflects where the industry is. Publishers and editors are not avoiding the trust question. They are looking for frameworks, examples and reinforcement.

CFINR's national awards program, which will present six prizes of $25,000 each at a gala in Washington, D.C., on May 19, is one tangible signal of that commitment. The awards recognize the kind of objective, impartial reporting that earns public confidence.

Mega was a reminder that the work CFINR is doing connects with what journalists and organizational leaders are seeing in newsrooms across the country. The conversation in Austin will continue in newsrooms nationwide, and in the ongoing effort to make trust something the industry earns back, one decision at a time.

David A. Sommers is the consulting communications director for the Center for Integrity in News Reporting.

CFINR National Journalism Awards entries draw record growth in third year

Sun, 08 Mar 2026 23:12:30 GMT

By David Sommers

Center for Integrity in News Reporting

March 5, 2026 —The Center for Integrity in News Reporting’s (CFINR) National Journalism Awards attracted a record level of interest in their third year, with submitted entries up 213% from last year and up 289% from the program’s first year.

Submissions in the 2025 annual awards cycle came from journalists and news organizations in at least 35 states, reflecting a broader national footprint for awards that recognize objective and impartial news reporting. The field also included entries from numerous national journalism organizations.

A new Investigative Reporting award helped drive the increase, drawing nearly 100 entries in the first year of the new category. CFINR added the category to recognize in-depth, fact-based reporting that holds institutions accountable while adhering to impartial and objective newsgathering standards.

Judges have begun reviewing submissions and winners will be announced at a national gala in Washington, D.C. , on May 19, 2026. Additional event details will be released in the weeks ahead.

Now in their third year, the CFINR awards were created to highlight journalism that prioritizes objective and impartial news reporting, guided by the principle associated with publisher Adolph Ochs: “to give the news impartially, without fear or favor.”

For the current awards cycle, CFINR will present six national prizes, each carrying a $25,000 cash award, for a total of $150,000. Categories include Broadcast, Cable, Digital, Investigative Reporting, Print, and reporting by members of the White House Correspondents’ Association.

The contest is designed to be accessible and journalist-driven. There are no entry fees and no nomination process. Journalists and editors may submit work directly, and entries are evaluated as impartial and objective news reporting, not opinion, commentary or advocacy.

Eligible work for this cycle included reporting published or aired between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31, 2025.

“The growth in participation signals rising awareness among journalists and news organizations of an awards program focused specifically on objective, impartial news reporting — and a willingness to put that work forward for national recognition consideration,” said CFINR Executive Director Rufus Friday.

David Sommers is the consulting communications director for the Center for Integrity in News Reporting

CFINR Takes Case for Objectivity and Trust to Press Associations Nationwide

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:36:41 GMT

February 12, 2026 —Leaders of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) have spent the past several months delivering a consistent message to press associations across the country: trust in journalism has eroded, but it can be rebuilt through objectivity, transparency and discipline.

Speaking to journalists, publishers and newsroom leaders at the Kentucky Press Association in Louisville, the Minnesota Newspaper Association in Minneapolis, the North Carolina Press Association in Cary, and the national Newspaper Association Managers conference in Washington D.C., CFINR Executive Director Rufus Friday outlined the organization’s growing national footprint and urged newsrooms to recommit to impartial reporting at a time of historic public skepticism. Additional speeches and visits have also included press associations in Tennessee, Mississippi and Arkansas.

“Journalism still matters,” Friday told attendees at the Kentucky Press Association’s winter convention in January. “And journalism still needs every single one of you.”

Across the four appearances, Friday emphasized that declining trust in the media is not anecdotal, but measurable. Citing long-term Gallup polling , he noted that public confidence in the news media has fallen to levels not seen in five decades, with just 28 percent of Americans expressing trust.

“Trust in the media in America is at its lowest point in 50 years,” Friday said during his Minnesota address. “This is not just an opinion; it’s a reality backed by data.”

Friday told press association leaders that trust has become polarized as well as diminished, with Americans increasingly divided over which outlets they consider credible. In that environment, he argued, objectivity and clarity are not abstract ideals but practical necessities.

“In moments of tension, uncertainty and fear,” he said in Minnesota, “clear-headed, impartial reporting is not just a professional ideal. It’s a public service.”

At all four stops, Friday framed the Center’s work as a response rooted in action rather than criticism. Founded in 2024, CFINR focuses on recognizing impartial and objective news reporting, strengthening state-level journalism awards, partnering with journalism schools and encouraging news organizations to publicly articulate their core journalistic values.

“Our mission is simple, but it is not small,” Friday said in Kentucky. “To restore trust in journalism through fairness, objectivity and transparency.”

A central focus of the speeches was the Center’s expanding awards program . CFINR now presents six national awards of $25,000 each for objective reporting across print, broadcast, cable, digital and investigative journalism, along with reporting by members of the White House Correspondents’ Association. Unlike many journalism contests, the awards have no entry fee and allow journalists to submit work directly.

“These awards send one simple message,” Friday said. “Objective journalism still matters and we go all out in recognizing and rewarding these journalists for it.”

The organization is also expanding state-level awards through partnerships with press associations. With support from the Southern Newspaper Publisher’s Association Foundation and the Stanton Foundation , CFINR will soon offer $5,000 awards for impartial reporting in nearly two dozen states, with the goal of eventually reaching all 50.

Friday told national association managers that recognition matters most when it happens close to home.

“Trust in media is built locally,” he said. “It is built in city halls, school board meetings and courtrooms.”

Another recurring theme was transparency. Friday repeatedly urged news organizations to adopt and prominently display statements of core journalistic values , drawing a clear line between reporting and opinion.

“When readers know what you stand for, they stop guessing — and start believing,” he said during the Kentucky luncheon. “Credibility is a newsroom’s greatest asset and impartiality is its strongest source of trust.”

Throughout the speeches, Friday emphasized that rebuilding trust will not happen through a single initiative or message, but through sustained, everyday decisions inside newsrooms.

“Trust isn’t rebuilt by one speech or one survey,” he said in Washington, D.C.. “It’s rebuilt one decision, one headline, one newsroom policy at a time.”

Associations, universities, or organizations interested in inviting a CFINR speaker can contact Rufus Friday at rfriday@cfinr.org .

Rufus Friday, Executive Director of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting, delivering a keynote speech at the Minnesota Newspaper Association Annual Convention on January 29, 2026. Photo Credits: Dave Schwarz

Opinion: The Biggest Threat to Journalism? Journalists

Thu, 12 Feb 2026 21:08:04 GMT

" Don’t blame rapacious owners for the loss of public trust. Blame biased, incompetent reporting. "

By Gerard Baker

Wall Street Journal Opinion Editor at Large • February 9, 2026

Is there a class of people with more vaulting self-belief or more stunted self-awareness than America’s journalists?

“ Democracy dies in darkness ,” they tell us, the implication being that it is only the torch held aloft by the nation’s brave media folk that keeps the light of freedom glowing in the gathering dusk of an authoritarian age. It’s true that in the absence of independent, trusted sources of information, power accrues without accountability. But there’s no hint in this declaration of their own indispensability or the role journalists themselves have played in undermining the public trust.

Source - Wall Street Journal

Opinion: America Needs Restraint—and Facts

Fri, 06 Feb 2026 01:18:48 GMT

"We need the facts more quickly, more soberly, in greater depth."

By Peggy Noonan

Wall Street Journal Opinion Columnist • January 26, 2026

Our long cold civil war heated up somewhat in Minneapolis this week, and you’d be dreaming if you think we won’t have more such moments and tensions, and not only on immigration. We aren’t at peace with ourselves.

Here we take a look at some large things that went wrong and can be made better.

The federal government has not only the right but the duty to enforce U.S. immigration law. An urgent aspect of that action is to find and detain those who, since arriving here, have violently broken the law.

But if you do this, you must do it right—professionally, with restraint, by the book, in the full spirit of the law.

Read more at: https://www.wsj.com/opinion/america-needs-restraintand-facts-85293b6d?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalin k

Source - Wall Street Journal

Opinion: Pentagon wants a ‘refocus,’ but Stripes hasn’t wavered from its true mission

Tue, 20 Jan 2026 20:39:46 GMT

Opinion: Pentagon wants a ‘refocus,’ but Stripes hasn’t wavered from its true mission

By JACQUELINE SMITH

STARS AND STRIPES OMBUDSMAN • January 20, 2026

Contact Stripes Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith at ombudsman@stripes.com .

Stars and Stripes, the legendary newspaper for the U.S. military community, is in peril of losing its editorial independence and becoming nothing more than a public relations arm of the Pentagon.

Your help is urgently needed to keep Stars and Stripes operating as an independent news source that adheres to journalistic principles and ethics. Your help is needed for Stripes to continue providing fair, accurate and unbiased news for those who are serving our country and our veterans.

They deserve nothing less than the unfiltered truth. Here is what is happening, why and what you can do about it.

Read more at: https://www.stripes.com/opinion/2026-01-20/pentagon-refocus-stripes-true-mission-20458242.html

Source - Stars and Stripes. Reprinted with permission

Bangor Daily News Adopts Core Journalistic Values, Reinforcing Trust and Transparency

Tue, 23 Dec 2025 02:27:57 GMT

Dec 19, 2025 — Maine’s Bangor Daily News (BDN) has begun publishing a statement of core journalistic values — a move that strengthens the paper’s commitment to transparency and accountability and mirrors the core principles advocated by the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR).

Starting in the Dec 18, 2025 print edition, the publication began including a summary version of its values statement, accompanied by a QR code linking to the full version.

The complete statement, available online , details the newsroom’s commitment to truth‑seeking, independent journalism and public accountability. It articulates standards such as objective reporting, independence from political alignment, and transparency when errors occur.

In addition to the official values statement, the paper published a bylined column by Bangor Daily News Executive Editor Dan MacLeod explaining the newsroom’s philosophy and purpose. In What BDN journalism stands for, MacLeod emphasizes the newsroom’s commitment to high‑quality reporting that connects Mainers and upholds objectivity and fairness.

CFINR Communications Consultant Cassandra Webb worked closely with BDN Director of Development Jo Easton, who championed the values adoption process internally. Webb praised the publication of the values statement as an important milestone.

“We’re thrilled to see the Bangor Daily News formally publish its statement of core journalistic values and to know they’ll be prominently accessible both online and in print,” said Webb. “The standalone page, site links, and QR code are exactly the kind of transparency we hope to encourage.”

The Bangor Daily News — founded in 1889 and published six days a week — has been owned by the Towle‑Warren family for four generations. Current publisher Richard J. Warren is the great‑grandson of J. Norman Towle, who purchased the paper in 1895. Since 2018, the Bangor Daily News has been the only independently owned daily newspaper in the state of Maine.

Founded in 2024 by Walter E. Hussman Jr., The Center for Integrity in News Reporting is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving public trust in journalism and strengthening the standards that once earned broad public confidence through objectivity and impartiality in news reporting.

With Stanton Foundation Grant, CFINR Expands State Journalism Awards to New England

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 23:09:08 GMT

Center’s state-level awards Expansion now covers 20 states

December 4, 2025 — The Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) announced today that the Stanton Foundation has awarded a $90,000 grant establishing annual Integrity in News Reporting Awards across all six New England states. The funding follows a recent SNPA Foundation grant creating parallel CFINR awards in 14 southern and southeastern states, together extending CFINR’s state-level recognition program to 20 states, representing approximately 43% of the U.S. population and 40% of the nation’s states.

Under the Stanton Foundation grant, CFINR will provide six annual $5,000 journalism awards in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, Maine, and Rhode Island—all states served by the New England Newspaper & Press Association . The program will run for three years beginning with the 2026 awards cycle honoring work from 2025. The New England expansion adds a region with a combined population of 15.4 million people, or 4.6% of the U.S. population, to CFINR’s growing awards footprint recognizing impartial journalism excellence

“CFINR is honored by the confidence the Stanton Foundation has shown in our mission and pleased to expand our work to New England,” said Rufus Friday, Executive Director of CFINR. “This grant will allow us to recognize and celebrate journalists across the region who uphold journalistic integrity and a commitment to objective and impartial news reporting."

The Stanton Foundation, founded by the late broadcasting executive Frank Stanton, supports efforts that strengthen an informed citizenry and protect First Amendment values.

The New England announcement comes shortly after the SNPA Foundation awarded CFINR funding to launch 14 state-level journalism awards across the Southeast. Those $5,000 awards will be presented at the annual meetings of press associations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and West Virginia.

With populations totaling approximately 128 million, the southeastern awards already represented a significant expansion of CFINR’s mission to honor impartial, objective, and fair reporting.

Gallup polling shows that U.S. trust in news, once nearly 70% in the 1970s, has fallen to 28% . CFINR’s state-level awards are designed to highlight exemplary reporting and reinforce journalistic values that promote fairness, transparency, and objectivity.

Founded in 2024 by Walter E. Hussman Jr., CFINR is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to improving public trust in journalism and strengthening the standards that once earned broad public confidence. With the addition of New England, the Center’s state-level awards now cover 20 states, home to nearly 144 million Americans, or 43% of the country.

Stars and Stripes at a crossroads: Inside its mission, press freedom challenges and digital future

Tue, 18 Nov 2025 01:54:27 GMT

November 15, 2025 —For more than 160 years, Stars and Stripes has served as an independent source of news for America’s service members around the world — operating uniquely inside the Department of Defense while fiercely guarding its editorial independence. In a wide-ranging conversation with Editor&Publisher , Stripes Publisher and CEO Max Dee Lederer Jr. reflected on the paper’s mission, the pressures of publishing within a government framework, the challenges of operating globally and the future of military journalism in the age of AI.

Read the full article and watch the Vodcast interview at this link .

Dallas Morning News Op/Ed: To restore trust, the news media needs to reexamine itself

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 21:13:27 GMT

The following op/ed was first published in the Dallas Morning News on Oct 31, 2025 and is reprinted here with permission:

To restore trust, the news media needs to reexamine itself

By Walter E. Hussman Jr.

Here are important questions for all Americans to consider: how can we have a sustainable, even a survival democratic republic without a well informed public? And how can we have a well informed public if they do not trust the news media?

There is no question that the public has lost confidence in the news media in America. The Gallup organization does an annual poll on trust in US institutions. Back in the 1970s, trust in news at times exceeded 70%. In the Gallup poll just released this October, trust in the news media dropped to an all-time low. Only 28% of the American public have a “great deal or a fair amount of trust” in news reporting.

It is well documented why Americans don’t trust news. Back in the 1970s, when Walter Cronkite was perhaps the most trusted man in America, he gave the news objectively; he never offered his own opinions. Today there is way too much opinion in news reporting. This was verified when iGallup, with the help of the Knight Foundation, interviewed 20,000 Americans across all 50 states, and released a report in 2020. Here are the exact quotes from that survey:

“A majority of Americans currently see a great deal (46%) or a fair amount (37%) of political bias in news coverage. 68% of Americans say they see too much bias in the reporting of news that is supposed to be objective as a major problem…..”

In 2021 the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University in England did 92,000 interviews in 46 countries. Responding to the question “do you trust the news media in your country?”, Finland was the highest at 65%. The United States was dead last at 29%.

To borrow a famous Texas phrase, “Houston, we’ve got a problem.” But it’s not Houston, it’s America.

Some argue that people don’t want objective news anymore, they just want their own biases confirmed. That is true for a minority of Americans., but not for the majority. When Reuters did a poll of 80,000 people in 40 countries in 2021, they asked: do you want to get your news from an organization with no particular point of view, one that confirms your point of view, or one that challenges your point of view. Both 60% of Americans and worldwide wanted news from an organization with no particular point of view. There is a segment that wants news reporting to confirm the point of view, but it’s half that number at 30%. The majority of Americans want impartial, objective news, but many wonder where can they go to get it?

Instead of blaming the public, the news industry needs to reexamine itself. A 2023 survey by the Cronkite school of journalism at Arizona State asked 75 editors around the country, many of them at websites, how they felt about objectivity as a news standard. Virtually without exception, they all said objectivity needed replacing. A dictionary definition of objectivity is:

“Not influenced by personal feelings; interpretations, or prejudice; based on facts; unbiased“

To most of the public that definition defines what they want in news reporting.It seems that some editors don’t like what the public wants.

While the lack of trust has accelerated, it’s not unprecedented. In the late 19th century, newspapers aligned themselves with one political party or the other. That’s why you still see the vestiges of that era with names like “Democrat“ or “Republican” in their mastheads. Then an entrepreneurial newspaper owner from Chattanooga, Adolph Ochs, came to New York and got control of the New York Times, which was in receivership. He confronted lots of problems with yellow journalism, sensationalism, and partisanship rampant in the press. He came up with an editorial strategy, which was also a great business strategy. Rather than aligning himself politically one way or the other, he decided his newspaper would be independent. His first day as publisher he published one of the great phrases in American journalism: "...to give the news impartially, without fear or favor…”

That phrase from some 130 years ago could be the key to rebuilding trust in news reporting today in America. His phrase means you do not favor one side or the other, and you demonstrate that by reporting the news impartially.

With so much misinformation and disinformation online today, we need the traditional news media to go back to its traditional values; not just by providing impartial news for the sake of their survival, but for the future of our democratic republic.

Walter E. Hussman Jr., born in Texarkana, was publisher of the Arkansas Democrat Gazette, the largest newspaper in Arkansas, and its predecessor for 48 years, and is currently chairman of the Center for Integrity in News Reporting.

CFINR awarded grant to expand awards program to 14 states

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 23:08:52 GMT

SNPA Foundation Grant Establishes Journalism Awards for Exemplary Reporting in Southeastern States

November 10, 2025— The SNPA Foundation has awarded a grant to the Center for Integrity in News Reporting to launch annual journalism awards in 14 southeastern states. The awards will recognize the best examples of impartial, objective, and fair reporting in newspapers.

Each award will carry a $5,000 prize and will be presented at the annual meetings of state press associations in Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and West Virginia.

“The Center for Integrity in News Reporting is honored to partner with The SNPA Foundation in advancing our shared mission to restore public trust in journalism,” said Rufus Friday, Executive Director, Center for Integrity in News Reporting.

“Through these state-by-state Integrity in Journalism Awards, we will recognize and celebrate journalists whose work reflects the highest standards of impartial, fair and objective news reporting in their respective states.”

ABOUT THE CENTER FOR INTEGRITY IN NEWS REPORTING (CFINR)

The Center for Integrity in News Reporting was created to address the public’s declining trust in news reporting. Gallup polls show that trust, which was around 70% in the 1970s, has now fallen to 28%. CFINR aims to improve public trust by encouraging and rewarding impartial, objective, and fair journalism. By recognizing exemplary reporting, CFINR hopes to restore the standards that once earned widespread trust.

CFINR was founded in 2024 by Walter E. Hussman, Jr., chairman of WEHCO Media, Inc., which operates eleven daily newspapers and cable television companies across six states. CFINR is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, governed by a Board of Trustees, all of whom have extensive news experience.

ABOUT THE SNPA FOUNDATION

The SNPA Foundation was established in 1968 to provide educational programs for newspaper members of the Southern Newspaper Publishers Association (SNPA). Since its inception, the SNPA Foundation’s seminars, webinars, literacy programs and Traveling Campus have reached more than 100,000 newspaper employees.

Newspapers and newspaper corporations, newspaper industry suppliers, state press associations and numerous individuals have contributed millions of dollars to fund the Foundation’s programs.

SNPA and the Inland Press Association merged in 2019 to form a new association, America’s Newspapers. The SNPA Foundation, however, remains as a separate entity. Its ongoing mission is to enhance the prosperity and the future of newspapers and to promote the value of newspapers to the communities that they serve.

The SNPA Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit, governed by an elected Board of Trustees.

Stars and Stripes Brings Core Journalism Values to Life at Camp Humphreys

Sat, 25 Oct 2025 00:35:27 GMT

Stars and Stripes Brings Core Journalism Values to Life at Camp Humphreys

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea — The Pacific newsroom of Stars and Stripes has unveiled a striking new mural, showcasing its commitment to core journalism values of credibility, impartiality, accountability, balance, and truth-telling—a visible reminder of the publication’s enduring mission to serve military readers with integrity and independence.

The wall display now greets visitors and staff at the Stars and Stripes press office inside Camp Humphreys, which is the largest U.S. military installation overseas. The six-foot by ten-foot mural is designed to reinforce the publication’s dedication to factual, fair reporting for more than 45,000 service members, civilians, and family members stationed on the base.

The installation follows Stars and Stripes’ recent decision to formally adopt a statement of Core Values modeled after the framework advocated by the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR), making it the first national or international news organization to do so.

Read CFINR’s announcement about the adoption here .

The values mural was first previewed during Stars and Stripes’ 80th Anniversary celebration of its Pacific Edition, held recently in Tokyo, Japan. The event brought together journalists, military leaders, and supporters of the free press to honor the publication’s eight decades of service.

During the Tokyo celebration, keynote speaker Steve Herman, veteran Voice of America journalist and current fellow with the Council on Foreign Relations, called the adoption of the Core Values statement “a significant milestone,” one that demonstrates leadership in rebuilding trust between journalists and their audiences. His remarks drew applause when he recognized CFINR’s role in helping shape the effort.

Stars and Stripes publisher Max Lederer noted that embracing these Core Values builds on the publication’s long tradition of editorial independence dating back to World War II. Beyond the Camp Humphreys mural, the full values statement is now featured prominently in print editions distributed around the world.

Additional coverage:
Editor & Publisher article: https://www.editorandpublisher.com/stories/stars-and-stripes-sets-standards-publishing-core-values-to-earn-trust,257750

From the Newsroom to the Classroom: CFINR’s Campus Speaker Initiative Gains Momentum

Wed, 15 Oct 2025 19:04:25 GMT

October 15, 2025 —The Center for Integrity in News Reporting’s new campus speaker initiative is rapidly expanding across the country, connecting award-winning journalists with college students to discuss objectivity, fairness, and the craft of trustworthy reporting.

Since outreach began in June 2025, nearly two dozen journalism schools have accepted or expressed interest in hosting visits from CFINR award winners and finalists . The program brings working reporters to universities and colleges at no cost to the host institution, covering all travel and lodging expenses.

Each campus visit is tailored to the host’s needs, ranging from keynote forums to classroom drop-ins or Q&A sessions. Journalists discuss topics such as sourcing, verification, transparency, and the ethical judgment calls that shape public trust in their work.

The initiative has already drawn strong participation from both universities and reporters. Middle Tennessee State University’s Scott Borchetta College of Media and Entertainment hosted former Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (now MinnPost) reporter Cleo Krejci in September 2025, where she presented to about 250 students and visited classes in digital media and advanced reporting.

At the University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, 2025 finalist Bonita Miyagi, the former executive editor of The Villages Daily Sun in Florida , and 2024 finalist Chris Fulton of the Mountain Home Observer in Arkansas, visited in late 2025 to discuss local accountability reporting and public-records investigations.

Miyagi continued the campus lecture series in February 2026, with a visit to the University of North Texas’ Mayborn School of Journalism, where she led a full day of engagement with students and faculty. Miyagi conducted three one-hour sessions and later joined faculty leaders and student media editors for an extended dinner discussion focused on ethical decision-making and newsroom leadership. Conversations focused on how professional newsrooms approach source confidentiality, verification standards, and the balance between transparency and maintaining reader trust—core principles aligned with CFINR’s mission.

Other campus visits have included the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communications hosting Curt Hills of The Villages Daily Sun and B BC correspondent Anthony Zurcher, and a visit by CNN's Em Steck to High Point University in North Carolina. Additional visits have also included the University of Florida, University of North Carolina, and the University of Missouri.

In February 2026, California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo (Cal Poly) hosted Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Paul Pringle, a former Los Angeles Times reporter and editor and the 2024 recipient of CFINR’s Print Reporting Award . During a two-day campus visit sponsored by CFINR, Pringle met with journalism classes, faculty, and Mustang News student editors to discuss investigative reporting, ethical decision-making, and the craft of public-interest journalism.

Behind the scenes, 14 CFINR awardees and finalists have already volunteered to take part and 20 colleges and universities have agreed to host guest lecturers or partner with CFINR.

The visiting journalists involved represent a wide range of beats and outlets—from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel , BBC News, and The Washington Post to The New York Times , the Guardian , Associated Press, NBC, and CNN. Students who have attended the sessions have heard reporters walk through document-driven investigations, share methods for avoiding confirmation bias, and discuss how to handle corrections transparently. Others have explored how to balance privacy and public interest or navigate career paths while maintaining neutrality and rigor.

Universities can choose the visit format that fits their curriculum—whether a keynote talk, panel discussion, or sequence of class visits. CFINR covers the costs and matches the visiting journalist based on the program’s needs and timing.

Faculty interested in hosting a speaker can contact Rufus Friday at rfriday@cfinr.org or visit cfinr.org/2025-awards-winners and cfinr.org/2024-awards-winners to learn more about the organization’s mission and honorees.

Editor’s Note (March 2026): This article has been updated to reflect the continued expansion of CFINR’s campus speaker initiative, including additional participating universities, updated participation totals, and recent campus visits such as Bonita Miyagi’s February 2026 engagement at the University of North Texas’ Mayborn School of Journalism and Pulitzer Prize–winning investigative journalist Paul Pringle’s February 2026 visit to California Polytechnic State University.

Bonita Miyagi, 2025 CFINR award finalist and former executive editor of The Villages Daily Sun, speaks to students at the University of North Texas’ Mayborn School of Journalism on Feb. 18, 2026, leading sessions on ethical decision-making, source confidentiality, and maintaining public trust in news reporting as part of CFINR’s campus speaker initiative.

Jodie Fleischer of Cox Media speaks with students at the Missouri School of Journalism at the University of Missouri in February 2026.

As part of CFINR program to connect award-winning journalists with college journalism school students, Cal Poly promoted to students and alumni that journalist Paul Pringle would be on campus.

Meanwhile. MinnPost reporter Cleo Krejci met with nearly 250 students at Middle Tennessee State University on Sep 22, 2025, including speaking with a digital media class, an advanced reporting class, and an open lecture about news media.

On Sep 30, 2025, University of Southern California’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism hosted visits by Bonita Miyagi, Executive Editor of the Villages Daily Sun in Florida and Chris Fulton, editor and founder of the Mountain Home Observer in Arkansas.

Stars and Stripes Becomes First National News Organization to Adopt Core Journalism Values Promoted by CFINR

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 18:17:41 GMT

August 22, 2025

DAVID SOMMERS

Stars and Stripes , the independent news organization serving U.S. military personnel worldwide, has become the first national media outlet to formally adopt a statement of Core Values modeled in part on the framework promoted by the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR).

The newly adopted document, which was recently distributed to Stars and Stripes' global staff and leadership, affirms a commitment to impartiality, accuracy and transparency, and draws heavily from CFINR’s recommended Statement of Core Values , while incorporating language tailored to its unique mission and audience.

“Credibility is the greatest asset of any news medium, and impartiality is its greatest source of credibility,” the Stars and Stripes statement begins. “Impartiality means reporting and editing the news honestly, fairly, and objectively without personal opinion or bias. Journalism’s core mission is truth-telling, which requires accurately reporting facts and context.”

CFINR Executive Director Rufus Friday praised the move as a milestone in the organization’s nationwide effort to rebuild public trust in journalism through institutional transparency and principled editorial practices.

“This is a powerful statement that aligns perfectly with our mission of restoring trust through impartial, objective, and fair reporting,” Friday said. “Stars and Stripes has taken a bold and necessary step, not only for the military community it serves, but for the broader journalism profession.”

Friday, who also currently serves as chairman of the Stars and Stripes newspaper publisher national advisory board of directors, played a role in bringing the core values initiative to the publication's attention. Publisher Max Lederer Jr. acknowledged the importance of the board’s support in crafting and finalizing the statement, which involved collaborative input from editorial leaders in Washington, D.C., Europe and the Pacific.

“My goal for Stars and Stripes is to be viewed as a credible source, and we achieve this by impartial truth-telling in all that we publish,” Lederer wrote in a message announcing the adoption of the values. “The current environment in the U.S. reflects skepticism with the news. It is important that the military community understands what Stripes stands for and our perspective in executing our mission.”

Founded during the Civil War and now operating under the Defense Media Activity, Stars and Stripes is partially funded by the Department of Defense, with those funds primarily used to print and distribute the newspaper to troops deployed across the globe, but the publication maintains full editorial independence. It is distributed to U.S. military personnel on every continent, often in warzones and remote bases.

In a published commentary , Stars and Stripes Ombudsman Jacqueline Smith highlighted how the values reflect the paper’s longstanding commitment to editorial independence and credibility. “The Core Values must be prominent on Stripes’ sites as a pledge to readers,” she wrote. “These principles are not mere slogans. They are commitments that guide every aspect of our work.”

The newly adopted values language is explicit in its distinctions between news and opinion, drawing a sharp line: “Stars and Stripes maintains a strict separation between news and opinion. We do not write opinion pieces. Instead, we publish a balanced selection of external viewpoints,” the values state.

CFINR founder and chair Walter E. Hussman Jr., who first began advocating in 2019 for news organizations to adopt formalized statements of journalistic integrity, called Stars and Stripes’ adoption an important moment.

“This is the first major news organization to adopt a statement of core values based on our model, and it is all the more meaningful coming from an institution as widely respected and globally distributed as Stars and Stripes,” Hussman said. “Their approach, incorporating our language while making it their own, is exactly what we hope others will do. It sets a powerful precedent.”

CFINR leaders say they hope this development will inspire similar commitments from other outlets, at a time when public trust of media institutions remains at historic lows. A 2024 Gallup poll found that just 31-percent of Americans say they have a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the mass media, the lowest level in decades.

“Journalism can’t afford to ask for trust without earning it in return,” Friday added. “When a national organization like Stars and Stripes commits in writing to impartiality, to transparency, and to accountability, it strengthens not just their newsroom, but the credibility of the entire field.”

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Cassandra Webb Joins Center for Integrity in News Reporting as Independent Communications Consultant

Wed, 06 Aug 2025 16:34:19 GMT

JULY 21, 2025

CFINR

The Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) is pleased to announce that Cassandra Webb will join the organization as an Independent Communications Consultant, effective August 1, 2025.

Webb brings more than a decade of experience in corporate communications, broadcast journalism, digital media, and public affairs, with a proven track record of crafting strategic messaging, and driving engagement across diverse platforms.

Her background includes leadership roles at KATV and KARK in Little Rock, Summit Utilities, and media outlets in Washington, D.C., California, Georgia, and Texas. She has served as both an anchor and producer, managed cross-functional communications teams, and led stakeholder engagement for organizations across five states.

"I’m honored to join the Center for Integrity in News Reporting during a time when rebuilding public trust in journalism is crucial. I look forward to contributing my experience in communications and storytelling to help promote transparency and foster a stronger connection between news organizations and the communities they serve,” said Webb.

“We are thrilled to welcome Cassandra to the Center,” said Rufus Friday, Executive Director of CFINR. “Her depth of experience in both journalism and strategic communications, along with her passion for public engagement and storytelling, aligns perfectly with our mission to restore public trust in news reporting through transparency and integrity.”

Webb will support CFINR’s national outreach and media initiatives, helping to advance the Center’s mission of promoting impartial and objective journalism across the country.

Trust in American Media at Historic Low, CFINR Director Warns Press Leaders

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 21:31:36 GMT

JUNE 2025

CFINR

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Addressing nearly 300 journalists and local news leaders from across Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee, the Center for Integrity in News Reporting’s (CFINR) Executive Director, Rufus Friday, delivered a stark warning: the United States ranks last among 46 surveyed countries in public trust in the news and regaining that trust will take deliberate, sustained effort—one decision, one headline, and one newsroom policy at a time.

Friday delivered the keynote address at the Tri-State Press Convention on June 27, 2025. The annual event, hosted jointly by the Mississippi, Arkansas and Tennessee press associations, convened news executives, editors, publishers and reporters from across the region to examine many of the challenges facing local journalism. This year’s programming included sessions on artificial intelligence, the impact of philanthropy on newsroom operations and First Amendment threats.

Friday’s keynote, however, took square aim at what he called “a full-blown trust crisis” in American journalism.

“Trust in the media in America is at its lowest point in 50 years,” he said. “For the first time in Gallup’s polling history, the news media ranks as the least trusted institution in American public life—even below Congress.”

Citing recent data from Gallup, Pew Research Center and the Reuters Institute, Friday outlined a grim picture: only 31 percent of Americans say they trust the media, while 36 percent express no trust at all. In an international comparison, the U.S. ranked dead last in media trust among nearly 50 countries surveyed by Reuters.

He attributed this erosion of credibility to four primary drivers: the blending of news and opinion, the rise of unvetted content on 24/7 cable networks and social media, shrinking newsroom resources, and a philosophical shift in journalism education that, in some cases, questions the value of objectivity itself.

“The standards that once defined the profession—verifiability, impartiality, a commitment to truth—have been undermined by speed, spin, and polarization,” Friday said.

But the keynote also delivered a hopeful message, anchored in the mission of the newly founded CFINR. Founded in March 2024 by media executive Walter E. Hussman Jr., the nonprofit aims to rebuild trust by promoting objective reporting, rewarding journalistic integrity and helping media outlets recommit to foundational values.

“The Center’s mission is simple but ambitious,” Friday said. “We want to reduce bias in news reporting and restore public faith in the profession—starting in the communities where trust hasn’t yet fully collapsed.”

One cornerstone of CFINR’s work is its free-to-enter awards program, which grants $25,000 prizes to journalists who exemplify impartial, fact-based reporting across all platforms. Friday highlighted recent awardees, including Cleo Krejci of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and reporters from Cox Media Group and KFF Health News, as examples of rigorous, objective journalism that holds power to account.

“Those awards are more than symbolic,” Friday said. “They recognize that the public can still tell the difference between spin and substance—and they want more of the latter.”

Friday also called on newsroom leaders to publicly post their editorial values, adopt clear standards, and educate their communities on what responsible journalism looks like. He praised media organizations such as WEHCO, owners of 11 news media companies including the flagship Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which all publish a “Statement of Core Values” prominently on page A-2 of their print products and online and also the Colorado based Clarity Media Group for publishing a daily “Our Commitment” statement, in their news outlets, and he urged others to follow suit.

“If we want to be trusted, we have to be transparent,” he said.

CFINR is currently engaging media outlets in mid-sized U.S. market—regions that Friday described as “often overlooked, but not yet broken.” The Center is also facilitating speaking opportunities, classroom visits and partnerships with journalism schools to re-center objectivity as a professional norm.

Friday closed his address with a reminder that rebuilding trust is not the job of national figures alone.

“Trust isn’t restored by one speech or one survey,” he said. “It’s rebuilt one decision, one correction, one moment of humility at a time. That responsibility belongs to every newsroom in this room.”

The speech was the most recent Friday has made since being named CFINR’s inaugural executive director in late 2024. Prior to his appointment, Friday served in senior publishing roles at the Lexington (KY) Herald-Leader and the Tri-City Herald, in Washington State and held leadership positions at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina.

“Our work at the Center is just beginning,” Friday told the Memphis audience. “But we cannot succeed without the people in this room. A trustworthy press isn’t a luxury in a democracy. It’s a requirement. And regaining that trust? It’s not someone else’s job. It’s ours.”

Images courtesy of the Mississippi Press Association

COLUMN: A reminder of what drew me to CFINR’s mission

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 21:19:09 GMT

JUNE 2025

CFINR

COLUMN: In Napa, a reminder of what drew me to CFINR’s mission

By David A. Sommers

It was my first official event since joining the Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) as a communications consultant: a June 27 fireside chat at The Napa Valley Reserve, where nearly 100 members and their guests gathered to hear from CFINR founder Walter E. Hussman Jr.

It was also the first time I had the opportunity to watch and hear Hussman speak in person about why he founded the Center and why restoring trust in news reporting is essential to the future of democracy.

As someone who started out as a journalist at 19 and has spent two and a half decades working across journalism, local government, and public affairs, the evening brought the mission into sharp focus. Listening to Walter articulate the same values that brought me to CFINR—fairness, impartiality and accountability—underscored just how much is at stake.

He spoke about the erosion of public trust in journalism and the data that propelled him to act. Gallup’s most recent polling shows that only 31 percent of Americans trust the news. A separate study by the Reuters Institute found that the United States now ranks last among 46 surveyed countries in media trust.

For Hussman, the issue isn’t theoretical. It’s one he’s been concerned about firsthand. A third-generation newspaper publisher and longtime head of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, he recalled watching a CNN promo in 2017 while traveling in Vietnam. In it, a prominent anchor said she didn’t believe in the “false equivalency” of giving both sides. That moment led Walter to draft a clear statement of journalistic values that would run consistently in each of the company’s newspapers as a declaration of what the newsrooms stand for and why it matters.

Those same principles underpin the work of CFINR. The Center awards $25,000 prizes—larger than a Pulitzer—for the most objective, impartial reporting across print, broadcast, cable, digital media and coverage of the White House. The money goes directly to the journalists and there are no fees to enter. The idea, as Walter told the Napa audience, is to recognize and elevate the kind of reporting that earns public trust.

Attending was a reminder of what drew me to CFINR’s mission in the first place. The challenges facing trust in journalism are steep, but not insurmountable. They will be met by those willing to commit to clear standards, transparent values and the public’s right to accurate, impartial information.

David A. Sommers is an independent communications consultant supporting the Center for Integrity in News Reporting.

At Napa Valley event, Hussman says restoring media trust is essential

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 20:59:33 GMT

JUNE 2025

CFINR

At Napa Valley event, Hussman says restoring media trust is essential

 ST. HELENA, Calif. — Speaking before an audience of nearly 100 members and invited guests at The Napa Valley Reserve on June 27, Center for Integrity in News Reporting (CFINR) founder Walter E. Hussman Jr. urged attendees to recognize the urgent need to restore public trust in journalism as a cornerstone of democracy.

The event marked one of several donor engagement conversations the nonprofit has hosted across the country as it expands its national presence and introduces its mission to new supporters.

Hussman, chairman of WEHCO Media and former publisher of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, founded the Center in 2024 after more than five decades in journalism. Disturbed by the growing blend of opinion and fact in mainstream reporting, and reinforced by polling showing American media now ranks last in global trust among surveyed nations, Hussman felt compelled to act.

Hussman has long pointed to a quote from 19th-century New York Times publisher Adolph Ochs as a guide for his efforts: “To give the news impartially, without fear or favor.” That standard, Hussman says, fueled the rise of credible journalism in the 20th century and can again serve as a foundation for trust in media.

CFINR takes a broad approach toward this goal: awarding $25,000 prizes to reporters whose work demonstrates exceptional fairness and objectivity; promoting the public posting of journalistic value statements by newsrooms; and encouraging news outlets, journalism schools and civic leaders to adopt and promote standards that separate reporting from advocacy.

The Center’s next steps include expanding its speaker series in mid-sized U.S. media markets, deepening partnerships with collegiate journalism schools and fundraising toward a long-term endowment that will sustain its operations for generations.

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