WIA-NEWS-TRUST Standard v1.0.0

The world’s first “certified news” trust layer — evaluating a publisher’s editorial process.

World Certification Industry Association (WIA)

What This Certifies

✅ We certify

Publisher & ownership transparency
Editorial process: corrections, attribution, ad separation
Plagiarism, generative-AI, privacy policies
Publishing track record & regional relevance

⛔ We do NOT warrant

Factual accuracy of any individual article
Tone or political stance of coverage
Violations after issuance → revocation

This certification evaluates a publisher's editorial *process and transparency*. It does not warrant the factual accuracy of any individual article. Certification may be revoked upon violation of the standard.

The 12 Criteria (weights sum to 100)

Publisher Transparency 발행주체 투명성 Core

w12

Are the publishing entity, its legal name, representative, and registration clearly disclosed?

0 · No publisher info　|　3 · Legal name & representative disclosed　|　5 · Full legal/registration disclosure

Corrections Policy 정정보도 정책 Core

w11

Is a documented corrections procedure and intake channel publicly available?

0 · No corrections policy　|　3 · Published corrections policy　|　5 · Policy + intake + SLA

Source Attribution 출처표기 Core

w10

Do articles consistently attribute sources and quotations?

0 · Rarely attributed　|　3 · Generally attributed　|　5 · Consistent, links to primary sources

Ad/Editorial Separation 광고-기사 분리 Core

w10

Are ads, sponsored content, and advertorials clearly labeled and visually distinct?

0 · No separation / misleading　|　3 · Ads labeled　|　5 · Sponsored/advertorial consistently labeled

Contact Disclosure 연락처 공개

Are newsroom/tip/inquiry contacts publicly available?

0 · No contact　|　3 · General contact disclosed　|　5 · Dedicated newsroom/tip channels

Editorial Desk Independence 데스크 분리(편집 독립) Core

Is editorial independence from advertising/business stated and practiced?

0 · No statement　|　3 · Editorial independence stated　|　5 · Codified in editorial charter

Correction History Disclosure 정정 이력 공개

Are actual corrections/rebuttals archived and traceable?

0 · Not disclosed　|　3 · Per-article correction notes　|　5 · Dedicated corrections archive

Ownership Disclosure 소유구조 공개 Core

Are owners, major shareholders, parent company, and conflicts disclosed?

0 · No ownership info　|　3 · Owner/parent disclosed　|　5 · Shareholding & conflicts disclosed

Plagiarism & Generative-AI Policy 표절·생성AI 표기 정책 Core

Is a plagiarism and generative-AI usage/labeling policy published?

0 · No policy　|　3 · Partial policy　|　5 · Both plagiarism & AI policies published

Is a legally compliant privacy policy published?

0 · No policy　|　3 · Policy published　|　5 · Policy + DPO + compliant

Regular Publishing Track Record 정기 발행 실적

Is there a stable, regular publishing cadence and history?

0 · Irregular　|　3 · Regular 6+ months　|　5 · Regular 2+ years or daily

Regional Relevance 권역 적합성

Does the outlet substantively serve Korea-related coverage in its applied region?

0 · Low relevance　|　3 · Meaningful regional Korea coverage　|　5 · Leading regional Korea outlet

Scoring & Tiers

Each criterion 0–5 → weighted to a 100-point score. A tier requires meeting both the score and the minimum on every core criterion.

Premium

score ≥ 90
core ≥ 4/5

Standard

score ≥ 80
core ≥ 3/5

Basic

score ≥ 70
core ≥ 2/5

Below threshold, no certification is issued; outlets may improve and re-apply.

Certification Process

Apply with a self-declaration (evidence URLs) against the 12 criteria
Pay the review fee → review begins
Scored against the standard rubric
On pass: certificate issued + public verification number + badge
Anyone can verify the “journalism nutrition label” by number

Validity, Renewal & Revocation

Certification is valid for one year from issuance.
30 days before expiry, a renewal notice is sent → lightweight re-review extends it.
Upon violation or false declaration, certification is revoked and reflected on the verification page.

Certified directory · Live map

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