In 2001, we began engaging with other media bodies and non-governmental organisations in consultations around the theme Journalism and Media Ethics in a Democracy. As a result the Journalism and Public Trust initiative was launched. This is designed to strengthen both the compact of trust that should exist between journalists and the public, and the role of the media in maintaining an open democratic society.

The Quality and Independence of British Journalism (2008)
This report was published by MediaWise on 1 February 2008 as part of the Journalism and Public Trust project. The research was completed by Professor Justin Lewis, Dr. Andrew Williams, Professor Bob Franklin, Dr. James Thomas and Nick Mosdell at the Cardiff School of Journalism, Media and Cultural Studies, and the findings underpin Nick Davies’ critique of journalism Flat Earth News. The research was funded by the Joseph Rowntree Charitable Trust.

Social responsibility and the media (2006)
MediaWise Director Mike Jempson addressed the All Party Parliamentary Group on Corporate Responsibility at the House of Commons on 17 January 2006.

Untangling the world wide web (2005)
This paper by Mike Jempson uses a case from the files of MediaWise to highlight what can happen when errors hit the information superhighway. It was produced for the Annual Conference of the Organization of News Ombudsmen, held in London on 19 May 2005.

Journalism and Public Trust (2004)
Organised by MediaWise and the Ethics Council of the National Union of Journalists, the Journalism and Public Trust Conference was held on the 4 December 2004 at the University of Westminster, London. MediaWise assembled this collection of articles on topics discussed at the conference, including how journalists can regain the public’s trust, regulation, the conscience clause and how to support ethical journalism.

Cleaning up our own backyard (2004)
Article by Mike Jempson, first published in British Journalism Review, Vol. 15, No. 2, 2004.

The price of public trust (2004)
Article by Mike Jempson, first published in the Spring 2004 issue of Connections, the quarterly magazine of the Commission for Racial Equality.

A compact of trust between journalism and the public? (2004)
Paper by Mike Jempson, which was prepared for Communication in the Age of Suspicion: Trust, Communication and Culture, a two-day conference hosted by the Centre for Public Communication Research at Bournemouth University, February 2004.

Further resources on the media and public trust are available here.