A Framework to protect witness-based reporting in the disinformation era
Commentary on the importance of PSJ by NMC CEO Andrew Moger
News is global and the impact of restrictions imposed on news gathering are felt everywhere.
Insufficient numbers of reporters being granted access to big announcements, copyright in photography being stolen, videojournalists blocked from capturing scenes at news-worthy events – they all add up to less knowledge, fewer insights and social media feeds flooded with hallucinations.
Such curbs on journalistic attempts to establish facts about cultural events, government actions, the behaviour of public figures, and what happens on the field of play undermine the mission of quality news gathering. And are an insult to the genuine desire and creativity of hard working news reporters.
Limits on news gathering – in part and in whole – also undermine democracy and the right to information. The public are the biggest stakeholders in the sustainability of quality news gathering, whether convened by the mainstream media or the expanding sector of smaller-scale news enterprises.
In this context, Primary Source Journalism (PSJ) is the bedrock of public understanding: the reporting, photography and video produced by trained journalists who witness events of public interest, verify facts, and publish under accountable editorial standards. In a fast-moving environment marked by disinformation and growing pressure on the news business model, enabling PSJ is not optional — it is essential.
Primary Source Journalism is the raw material of truth.
The News Media Coalition’s Framework for Primary Source Journalism is a practical strategy statement designed to strengthen the conditions that allow independent newsgathering to thrive. It sets out nine conditions required for PSJ to flourish — including access to newsworthy events, recognition of the investment behind professional reporting, and the removal of barriers that restrict how journalism is produced and distributed.
Why the Framework matters now
Across sport, culture, showbusiness and civic life, the ability of journalists, photographers and video journalists to do their jobs is increasingly shaped by external rules: restrictive accreditation processes, limitations on coverage, and constraints on distribution. At the same time, the information environment is being flooded with low-value synthetic content — increasing the public value of verified, witness-based reporting.
The NMC believes that, in this context, societies need more independent witnessing and scrutiny — not less. Enabling PSJ means ensuring journalists can access what they need to see, obtain information legitimately, and operate free from arbitrary curbs that weaken the public record.
What the Framework sets out
The Framework identifies nine conditions that, taken together, enable PSJ in practice. These conditions focus on the following themes:
- Access to Report and to Information
- Support for News
- Independence of News Editorial
- Supportive Newsgathering Environments
- Engaging with the News Media Organisations
- Reward for Trustworthy Newsgathering in the Age of AI
- Material is no Substitute for Independent News Content Official
- Availability of News News
- Safety of Journalists
The full Framework document with explanatory commentary can be found here.
Who the Framework is for
The Framework is intended to gain support from all those that engage with or consume news, such as:
- those organisations which have the power to enable news gathering
- governments and public authorities
- event organisers and rights-holders
- sports bodies and civic institutions
- stakeholders shaping the policies that affect independent journalism
- and most importantly, the public which has significant agency in helping to determine the future of trust-worthy information
It is designed as a usable reference point for policy discussion and operational dialogue, helping ensure PSJ is understood, respected and enabled across territories and news cultures.
About the NMC
The News Media Coalition, or ‘NMC’, is an international industry organisation comprising reputable news brands. Together – as news publishers and news agency content suppliers – they represent a significant proportion of the global news media sector, each day generating millions of pieces of news which flow directly or indirectly to news consumers.
