Before the press closes its doors… Why does every newsroom need a “transparency editor”? | information

The Journalism website, which specializes in keeping up with developments in the journalism profession, highlighted the worsening crisis of trust between the public and the media, and called for the creation of the position of “Transparency Editor” in newsrooms in the hope of overcoming this crisis.

The writer on the website Wits Vellingia emphasized that transparency in presenting the methodology of journalistic work, its financing, and the role of the public in it is an investment in restoring media trust and credibility, especially at this time, when it has become difficult to distinguish between journalists, influencers, and artificial intelligence content.

Velingia recalled the Reuters Digital News 2025 report, which concluded that only 40% of people trust the news, considering it an existential threat. He said, “For decades, journalism has responded to crises of trust by claiming objectivity, but it is clear that this approach is no longer sufficient.”

Transparency is not a luxury, but rather an essential investment in survival. Otherwise, the media will continue to decline as competitors capture the audience we are losing

by Wits Willingia – Dutch journalist

He pointed out that journalism is now competing with influencers, government agencies, activists, and content produced by artificial intelligence, and that the danger lies in what he described as the imitation game, where competitors imitate journalistic forms without adopting journalistic standards. To the audience, anyone holding a microphone and asking questions appears to be a journalist, whether or not he or she adheres to editorial standards.

Vilingia – a Dutch journalist who works as a coordinator for journalistic accountability in the Office of the Ombudsman for Dutch public broadcasters – believed that the solution is not in improving public relations or production values, but rather in transparency in the way journalistic institutions work. He stressed that this requires a new, dedicated position in the newsroom under the name “Transparency Editor.”

What does transparency mean?

The writer explained that transparency simply means showing the method of work and allowing readers and followers to judge the logic and methodology of the media institution. He said: Transparency consists of three main pillars: the story, the journalist, and the audience.

1- The pillar of the story

The pillar of the story includes the transparency of the journalistic process, such as:

• Explain how to prepare the report.
• Determine the time it took to get the story.
• Pointing out the sources on which the story is based.
• Revealing unverifiable information and unanswered questions.

2- Journalist’s Pillar

It includes the transparency of the journalist or story maker and the institution and answers the following questions:

• Who wrote the story?
• What is the journalist’s experience in the topic?
• Is there any personal connection between the journalist and the story?
• Who financed the preparation of the story and paid the journalist’s salary?
• What is the organization’s message and goals for the story?

3- The audience pillar

It deals with audience participation and giving them an idea of ​​how to contribute to the story, such as:

• How can the public add information, submit corrections, or contest certain allegations?
• Why is the story important to the audience?
• What can the audience do after reading the story? (in some cases)

What will the Transparency Editor do?

The writer emphasized that the role of the transparency editor is limited to three basic responsibilities, each of which addresses a specific gap in current practice, which are:

1- Monitoring transparency

This means reviewing stories before publishing them and asking questions that readers may ask. The transparency editor becomes an advocate for readers within the newsroom, as he discovers gaps before publishing, and ensures adherence to the methodology in all parts of the story, such as ensuring that there is justification for the use of the anonymous source and that a clear context is provided for each correction.

2- Building infrastructure

It involves creating systems that make implementing transparency easier for journalists, not harder. This means developing transparency templates in the content management system that help journalists explain how the information was collected, what was corrected, and why, rather than hiding the error, in addition to creating checklists that journalists use before publishing to ensure that they have not forgotten any details related to transparency.

3- Hosting workshops

Vellingia says: The workshops will seek to change newsroom culture, train journalists, reinforce the idea that showing their work strengthens their authority, and explain the effect of transparency in dispelling criticism by proactively addressing questions. The workshops also aim to train editors on the questions that should be asked while reviewing a story.

Codes of conduct are not enough

The writer, who worked as a media trainer across Europe, pointed out that every newsroom has a code of ethics, but often it is just a document collecting dust, stressing that it is the task of the transparency editor to make these principles visible in daily work.

He emphasized that readers appreciate honesty about difficult choices such as: Why did we include or omit details? How did we balance privacy and public interest? He added, “When we invite readers to participate in our work, it builds trust over time.”

But what about the cost? Vellingia answers this question by saying: “Can we afford a continued decline in trust? Media outlets that cannot rebuild their credibility will lose their audience, advertisers and importance.”

At the conclusion of his article, he stressed that transparency is not a luxury, but rather an essential investment in survival, warning “of the danger of the media continuing to decline as competitors seize the audience that we are losing.”​