Skip to main content

Site navigation

  • University of Technology Sydney home
  • Home

    Home
  • For students

  • For industry

  • Research

Explore

  • Courses
  • Events
  • News
  • Stories
  • People

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Study at UTS

    • arrow_right_alt Find a course
    • arrow_right_alt Course areas
    • arrow_right_alt Undergraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Postgraduate students
    • arrow_right_alt Research Masters and PhD
    • arrow_right_alt Online study and short courses
  • Student information

    • arrow_right_alt Current students
    • arrow_right_alt New UTS students
    • arrow_right_alt Graduates (Alumni)
    • arrow_right_alt High school students
    • arrow_right_alt Indigenous students
    • arrow_right_alt International students
  • Admissions

    • arrow_right_alt How to apply
    • arrow_right_alt Entry pathways
    • arrow_right_alt Eligibility
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for students

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Apply for a coursearrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt
  • Scholarshipsarrow_right_alt
  • Featured industries

    • arrow_right_alt Agriculture and food
    • arrow_right_alt Defence and space
    • arrow_right_alt Energy and transport
    • arrow_right_alt Government and policy
    • arrow_right_alt Health and medical
    • arrow_right_alt Corporate training
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Tech Central
    • arrow_right_alt Case studies
    • arrow_right_alt Research
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for industry

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Partner with usarrow_right_alt
  • Explore

    • arrow_right_alt Explore our research
    • arrow_right_alt Research centres and institutes
    • arrow_right_alt Graduate research
    • arrow_right_alt Research partnerships
arrow_right_altVisit our hub for research

For you

  • Libraryarrow_right_alt
  • Staffarrow_right_alt
  • Alumniarrow_right_alt
  • Current studentsarrow_right_alt

POPULAR LINKS

  • Find a UTS expertarrow_right_alt
  • Research centres and institutesarrow_right_alt
  • University of Technology Sydney home
Explore the University of Technology Sydney
Category Filters:
University of Technology Sydney home University of Technology Sydney home
  1. home
  2. arrow_forward_ios ... Newsroom
  3. arrow_forward_ios ... 2025
  4. arrow_forward_ios 03
  5. arrow_forward_ios Will transparency fix the trust deficit?

Will transparency fix the trust deficit?

13 March 2025
A piercing eye looks out from a newspaper page, a red slash across

Of all the difficulties confronting contemporary media, the trust deficit is the one for which solutions seem most elusive. There are many reasons why the public has disengaged from the news, but bias and commercialism have been found to play a significant role, while in last year’s Digital News Report from the Reuters Institute, transparency, high journalistic standards, and fairness were the most-cited reasons. If objectivity is a dead horse, perhaps transparency will provide the authenticity that the public craves. But transparency about what? Is authenticity what really matters, or is independence more critical? And what do we do when transparency and fairness conflict? As Jussi Latvala asks in another Reuters Institute report, ‘Is it one thing to say transparency is important when it’s presented at you as an option by a pollster, and another thing to actually put value on that as you live your daily life and encounter news?’

This week’s newsletter comes at these questions from several angles. Derek considers the implications of the sale of Southern Cross Austereo’s television network to Australian Digital Holdings – operator of right-wing YouTube channel Newsmax. With the demise of cross-media ownership rules, what does the merger mean for local content, and for the impartiality required of broadcast news?

Tamara turns her eye to the UK, where the government has proposed a copyright exemption for AI training. Transparency over data sources won’t give much relief to creatives, or the news industry, who are incensed. Transparency and authenticity are both big on social media, and Chris examines whether politicians turning to platforms like YouTube really signals a drop in journalistic scrutiny. While I look at last week’s AI-related kerfuffle at the LA Times, where a new bias-o-meter produced more controversy than transparency.

Finally, Alexia has an invite to a special event next week, Securing the Sustainability of News and Journalism in Australia, featuring Julie Eisenberg, Lenore Taylor, Professor Allan Fels and George Siolis, which ties into the latest episode of our podcast, Double Take and joint IIC/CMT report.

Read it in full here.

Michael Davis profile picture

Michael Davis, CMT Research Fellow

Share
Share this on Facebook Share this on Twitter Share this on LinkedIn
Back to CMT news

Acknowledgement of Country

UTS acknowledges the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation and the Boorooberongal People of the Dharug Nation upon whose ancestral lands our campuses now stand. We would also like to pay respect to the Elders both past and present, acknowledging them as the traditional custodians of knowledge for these lands. 

University of Technology Sydney

City Campus

15 Broadway, Ultimo, NSW 2007

Get in touch with UTS

Follow us

  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube
  • Facebook

A member of

  • Australian Technology Network
Use arrow keys to navigate within each column of links. Press Tab to move between columns.

Study

  • Find a course
  • Undergraduate
  • Postgraduate
  • How to apply
  • Scholarships and prizes
  • International students
  • Campus maps
  • Accommodation

Engage

  • Find an expert
  • Industry
  • News
  • Events
  • Experience UTS
  • Research
  • Stories
  • Alumni

About

  • Who we are
  • Faculties
  • Learning and teaching
  • Sustainability
  • Initiatives
  • Equity, diversity and inclusion
  • Campus and locations
  • Awards and rankings
  • UTS governance

Staff and students

  • Current students
  • Help and support
  • Library
  • Policies
  • StaffConnect
  • Working at UTS
  • UTS Handbook
  • Contact us
  • Copyright © 2025
  • ABN: 77 257 686 961
  • CRICOS provider number: 00099F
  • TEQSA provider number: PRV12060
  • TEQSA category: Australian University
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • Disclaimer
  • Accessibility