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The crisis of trust in the world of journalism has been well documented, with numerous reports and articles written on why the public is turning away from the news.

Impress’s own News Literacy Report uncovered the same trend but also signalled that the deprioritising of ethical standards by journalists and publishers was a big reason for their trust diminishing. Yet very little was being done about it, and journalists were left with little in the way of options to boost their knowledge of ethical practice.

With Impress and the University of Huddersfield having secured funding from UKRI and Innovate UK to create just such an option, I was thrilled to be given the opportunity to lead the course’s creation.

Now, we are well on our way to creating a comprehensive, accredited course that will lead participants to construct an ethical framework they can implement in their day-to-day practice, and learn more about how new technologies like AI can impact ethics.

Creating Ethical Media and Journalism will also include first-hand experiences from both industry experts and those who have been on the wrong end of poor practices in the past. Organisations that have lent their expertise to the course include the BBC, the New York Times, and Poynter Institute, as well as charities such as LevelUp, Sense, and Samaritans.

In June, we hit an exciting milestone in the formation of the course. Thanks to the support of Microsoft, we were able to host more than 30 journalists in central London to introduce a pilot trial of the opening modules of the course.

Through a series of workshops led by Impress and Microsoft staff, attendees were encouraged to share and discuss their experience of dealing with ethical dilemmas, with many admitting that they were often left concerned about what the correct course of action would be, as well as the use of AI in journalism.

Everyone in attendance showed great enthusiasm for the course and the exercises conducted on the day. As a result, we heard a number of fascinating discussions and valuable insights into how journalists think about ethics, the processes they have in place for tackling dilemmas and much more!

Our pre- and post-event surveys showed that the day alone helped boost participants’ confidence in ethical practice by nearly 20%. The day emphasised again that there is a hunger from journalists for training that pivots and adapts to an industry that is increasingly unpredictable and constantly evolving, that caters to flexible working patterns, and that has a greater focus on ethical practices.

Now, the journalists are in the midst of completing the opening modules of the course, before we implement their feedback into the final course launch.

I am proud and excited to be part of a team that is taking a proactive approach to helping rectify the trust crisis in journalism, and we cannot wait for you to see the final product later this year.

By Dr Beth Parkes
Education and Development Manager, Impress

You can find out more about the Microsoft pilot event below!

To be in with a chance of attending future events, you can sign up to our waitlist!

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About Beth Parkes

Dr Beth Parkes is Impress’ Education and Development manager, currently developing Impress’ training program in journalism ethics. Previously, she completed a PhD in History at the University of Birmingham, writing on the impact of racism, skin modification and beauty ethics in Britain from 1930-80. She has experience in project management, academic research, and advocacy for diversity and equity.

About Impress 

Impress is a champion for news that can be trusted. We are here to make sure news providers can publish with integrity; and the public can engage in an ever-changing media landscape with confidence. We set the highest regulatory standards for news, offer education to help people make informed choices and provide resolution when disputes arise. 

Media enquiries

Louie Chandler: louie@impressorg.com / 02033076778