Kevin Lee interviews Sally Lehrman, a distinguished journalist who is also the founder of The Trust Project, an organization whose mission is to "amplify journalism’s commitment to transparency, accuracy, inclusion and fairness so that the public can make informed news choices." This mission is important today as trust in media organizations has cratered, even as a tsunami of misinformation and disinformation threatens to mislead and misinform the public.

Kevin and Sally discuss how the news industry has evolved, why trust in the media is at historic lows, and how The Trust Project aims to make things better through various initiatives and partnerships. Topics addressed in this discussion include:

- How Sally was able to secure funding for user-centered design research to understand why people trust or distrust the news, leading to the development of trust indicators.

- The importance of trust in journalism and the need for transparency in the media.

- How too many news outlets have continued to prioritize clickbait headlines and sensational content, which has contributed to the decline of trust in the media.

- The blurring of lines between news and opinion and the importance of distinguishing them through labeling.

- The continuing importance of supporting local news sources, given that they cover important issues relevant to local constituencies.

- How technology platforms, intentionally or not, limit the diversity of news sources visible to users, leading to a narrow understanding of the world.

- The fact that advertisers are often fearful of supporting news content due to brand safety issues, adding an additional headwind to the publishing industry's ability to report on important stories.

- Why it would be more honest to label “sponsored content” as “paid content.”

- The four different types of news consumers (Avid, Engaged, Opportunistic, and Angry Disengaged).

- The importance of transparency in influencer marketing and the need for authenticity in labeling.

- The importance of transparency in sponsored content, urging brands to use accurate language and provide clear attribution.

- The changing dynamics of authorship in journalism, where individual journalists are gaining more power and influence outside of traditional media organizations.

- The critical role played by user education equipping users with tools to evaluate the credibility of online information.

- How brands and advertisers can help by incorporating fact-checking into their advertising and training employees on trust indicators.

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