The news industry needs a bar association to restore readers' trust

Jeff Bezos recently posed a critical question: Can newspapers endorse political candidates while retaining their credibility as impartial news sources?

His decision to end The Washington Post’s political endorsements, followed by an op-ed on the matter, touches on a legitimate issue. But does this move address the root cause of media bias or simply treat a symptom of a deeper ailment in journalism?

Public trust in the media has plummeted to historic lows, with a recent Gallup poll showing only 31 percent of Americans expressing a “great deal” or “fair amount” of trust in the news. Bezos’s approach acknowledges the problem but falls short of tackling the underlying issues that threaten the press' credibility and, with it, its relevance as an essential element of the broader public discourse.

To truly address the media’s trust crisis, journalism needs an approach that goes beyond stopping endorsements and borrows from a historic model of reform: the American Bar Association.

When the legal industry faced a similar breakdown in public confidence over a century ago, it established standards, credentialing, and a code of ethics. Journalism today needs its own “Bar Association,” an independent organization that is empowered to establish standards, issue credentials, and hold journalists accountable. Only then can the media work to rebuild trust, repair its public image, and reclaim its essential role as the Fourth Estate in our democratic society.

In the late 1800s, the legal profession was in disarray. With no governing standards and little regulation, anyone could claim to be a lawyer, regardless of education, ethics or competence. Public confidence plummeted, as people couldn’t tell competent practitioners from those who were incompetent or corrupt. Recognizing the profession’s need for reform, legal leaders created the ABA in 1878. The Association established a national code of ethics and required lawyers to pass the Bar exam, ensuring competency and accountability.

This transformation wasn’t instant, but it gradually restored public trust and gave Americans confidence that those representing them in court were skilled and ethical. Today, Americans’ confidence in attorneys is higher than in journalists — a testament to the success of the ABA’s framework in building professionalism and public trust.

The media, like law before the ABA, now faces its own crisis of public trust. Digital media and social platforms have made it easier for anyone to publish “news,” blurring the line between factual reporting and opinion. While this democratization of information can be valuable, it has also created a murky landscape in which the public struggles to distinguish credible journalism from sensationalism or misinformation.

This environment undermines informed citizenship and threatens the democratic process. Bezos is right to address the issue of trust, but eliminating political endorsements alone does little to solve it.

A Journalistic Bar Association could be a powerful response, addressing the deeper issues plaguing journalism. Such an organization could set standards, credential journalists and hold practitioners accountable to a code of ethics. Credentialing wouldn’t limit free expression but would provide a clear signal to the public regarding reliable news sources. Much like the ABA’s Bar exam, Journalistic Bar Association credentials could signify that journalists meet certain standards of integrity and competence, helping audiences separate professional, ethical reporters from less credible sources.

The Journalistic Bar Association could also enforce ethical standards. The ABA maintains a code of ethics with consequences for breaches, including disbarment. A Journalistic Bar Association could similarly investigate ethical violations, conflicts of interest, or dissemination of misinformation and hold its members accountable. According to Edelman’s Trust Barometer, more than half of Americans believe journalists deliberately mislead the public. An independent body capable of sanctioning or even expelling journalists or media outlets that violate ethics could be a significant step toward regaining the public’s trust.

Transparency is another essential function a Journalistic Bar Association could promote. The Pew Research Center found that 73 percent of Americans say it’s difficult to distinguish news from opinion. A Journalistic Bar Association could establish clear guidelines, requiring outlets to label opinion pieces, disclose conflicts of interest, and provide accessible channels for complaints and corrections. As transparency improves, so would the public’s ability to understand what kind of information they’re consuming, building a clearer, more reliable media environment.

Crucially, a Journalistic Bar Association would not aim to limit citizen journalism but instead provide a pathway for responsible citizen journalists to gain credibility. Standards and ethical codes wouldn’t prevent anyone from reporting but would offer an opportunity for those wishing to be recognized as credible journalists to do so. Citizen journalists who meet these standards could earn credentials that boost their credibility, creating a more level playing field with established media and making journalism more inclusive without compromising integrity.

Critics may argue that a Journalistic Bar Association risks infringing on press freedom or stifling diverse voices. But credentialing is not censorship. The ABA does not prevent individuals from giving legal advice informally — it merely signals to the public who meets recognized standards. A Journalistic Bar Association could operate in the same way, allowing anyone to publish while making it easier for the public to identify those who adhere to ethical and professional guidelines.

Some may also worry that a Journalistic Bar Association could lead to government interference in the press. But, like the ABA, this association would be independent, industry-led and voluntary, governed by its members rather than by government decree.

Jeff Bezos, as the owner of one of the nation’s leading newspapers, is well-positioned to lead this charge. His suggestion to end political endorsements acknowledged that trust between the media and the public needs rebuilding, so he and other media leaders should consider supporting the formation of a Journalistic Bar Association. If industry leaders can rally around this idea, a Journalistic Bar Associationcould restore public trust, offering a code of ethics, accountability and transparency. Like the ABA in law, a Journalistic Bar Association would raise journalism’s standards and provide the public with a way to distinguish reputable news sources, making it easier for citizens to engage with reliable, factual reporting.

Journalism is called the “Fourth Estate” because it holds power accountable, but to do so effectively, it must be trusted. Rebuilding that trust will not be easy, but it is possible. Media leaders like Bezos have a unique opportunity to champion an independent, ethical framework for journalism that would serve the public good. The American Bar Association wasn’t created by government mandate, but by lawyers who recognized the need for standards and accountability. Journalists today face a similar moment of reckoning.

A Journalistic Bar Association isn’t just a novel idea — it’s a necessary evolution. If media leaders seize this opportunity, they can restore journalism to its rightful place as a trusted institution.

Patrick Hillmann is a veteran crisis communications strategist and former chief strategy officer at Binance, where he led global communications and government affairs. He writes frequently on media accountability, transparency and the role of communications in restoring public confidence.