On the final day of the global digital rights conference RightsCon, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) invited representatives from Agence France-Presse (AFP) and Radio Taiwan International (Rti) to discuss combating misinformation and building a trustworthy news ecosystem. Rti Vice President Isis Lee Ming-li (李明俐) states that the international community often learns about Taiwan through foreign media. To enhance its reach, Rti has obtained the Journalism Trust Initiative (JTI) certification from RSF, meeting 130 standards and presenting high-quality content from Taiwan to the world.
JTI, launched by RSF in 2019, encourages global media participation in a three-step certification process. This involves completing a self-assessment questionnaire covering 130 standards, including ownership disclosure, funding sources, editorial policies, accountability systems, fact-checking procedures, and staff training. After publishing a "transparency report," they must undergo independent third-party auditing and verification to officially receive JTI certification.
Rti received the coveted certification in January, becoming the first news organization in Taiwan and the Chinese-speaking world to do so. During RightsCon, Lee highlighted two key benefits of the certification process. First, the 130 standards, though initially overwhelming, focus on essential issues important to news consumers, enhancing media literacy. Second, these standards provide newsrooms with challenges and valuable tools for improving journalistic practices.
Lee noted that as a public legal entity, Rti undergoes annual external audits, explaining how Rti obtained the JTI certification in under a year. Rti will have audits every two years going forward. Additionally, Lee expressed optimism about collaborating with the new media reading platform READr Mesh to enhance Taiwan's news ecosystem.