The Audiovisual Trust Label for News Programs (referred to as SCAI, from the Spanish: Sello de Confianza Audiovisual para Informativos) is conceived as a guarantee brand based on solvent, public and transparent criteria, through which it is recognized that an audiovisual news program, produced and/or distributed in Europe, has the adequate conditions, regarding technical quality aspects and of respect to the ethical and professional standards, so that citizens are able to identify it as a trustworthy product.
The SCAI aims to serve as an incentive for the constant improvement of the task of informing citizens – of production processes, contents and results-, so that they are able to make responsible decisions in democratic society, as well as to encourage transparency in the relations between information content providers and their consumers.
SCAI’s main objectives are:
- Contribute towards the compliance of a fundamental right: the right to information. Every citizen has the right to receive information and opinions (art. 19 Universal Declaration of Human Rights).
- Collaborate in a constructive manner in the generalization of legal compliance regarding the audiovisual information content market.
- Encourage, in a positive way, quality in the creation of information – in contents, processes and results.
- Encourage from civil society the implicated agents in audiovisual information content creation, production and distribution processes, so that they assume as a true own benefit (not only in terms of reputation, but of competence and of profitability) the commitment of searching for the quality standards while carrying out their activity.
- Strengthen the interest –both of implicated sector agents as well as of the public opinion- about the social role of media as configuring elements of society and democracy development.
Previously, an analysis of the main international initiatives and responsibility, transparency, trust and quality standards in journalistic enterprises has been carried out, with the support of an expert group from European Communication universities, civil society institutions and business responsibility and legal compliance background. Some of the analyzed initiatives are: Global Reporting Initiative Media Sector, European Directive of Audiovisual Communication Services, European Broadcasting Union, Open Society Foundation, International Fact-Checking Network –IFCN-, BBC News Style Guide, Reuters Institute papers.
This analysis has allowed for the design of a number of indicators that could constitute the Audiovisual Trust Label for News Programs.