Anonymous sources: Credible or questionable?
Investigative journalist Seymour Hersh was strongly criticized for citing unnamed sources in a recent New Yorker article on U.S.-Iran relations. Hersh has repeatedly quoted anonymous sources in the past, most notably to expose both the My Lai massacre in Vietnam and the Abu Ghraib scandal in Iraq.
The use of anonymous sources has long been controversial. Critics say they hurt the media's credibility. Defenders say without them important stories would never be told.
However, the use of such sources in the U.S. media has significantly declined since The New York Times was embarrassed by journalist Jayson Blair's use of fake unnamed sources to fabricate stories in 2003. The Project for Excellence in Journalism, a research group, found use of anonymous sources in major U.S. newspapers dropped from 29 percent of all articles in 2003 to just 7 percent in 2004.
What do you think about anonymous sources? How should a journalist gauge when to use one? What are the guidelines for using unnamed sources in your organization?
IJNet would like to hear your opinion. Join the discussion by clicking on "Add a Comment" below. Please identify your country if possible. Thanks.


شات مصرية - دردشة مصرية - شات
شات مصرية - دردشة مصرية - شات مصري
شات القاهرة ، دردشة القاهرة ، شات دردشة القاهرة ، شات دردشة جامعة القاهرة
شات الاسكندرية - دردشة الاسكندرية - شات دردشة الاسكندرية - شات دردشة جامعة الاسكندرية
شات المنصورة - دردشة المنصورة
شات البحيرة - دردشة البحيرة
شات الفيوم - دردشة الفيوم
شات الغربية - دردشة الغربية
شات الدقهلية - دردشة الدقهلية
شات الاسماعيلية - دردشة الاسماعيلية
شات الجيزة - دردشة الجيزة
شات المنوفية - دردشة المنوفية
شات المنيا - دردشة المنيا
شات البحر الاحمر - دردشة البحر الاحمر
شات القليوبية - دردشة القليوبية
شات الاقصر - دردشة الاقصر
شات الوادى الجديد - دردشة الوادى الجديد
شات الشرقية - دردشة الشرقية
شات السويس - دردشة السويس
شات اسوان - دردشة اسوان
شات اسيوط - دردشة اسيوط
شات بني سويف - دردشة بني سويف
شات بورسعيد - دردشة بورسعيد
شات دمياط - دردشة دمياط
شات كفر الشيخ - دردشة كفر الشيخ
شات مطروح - دردشة مطروح
شات قنا - دردشة قنا
شات جنوب سيناء - دردشة جنوب سيناء
شات شمال سيناء - دردشة شمال سيناء
شات سوهاج - دردشة سوهاج
شات عسل ـ دردشة عسل
شات الشلة ـ دردشة الشلة
شات فلة ـ دردشة فله
شات دردشة ـ دردشة دردشة
شات شبيك لبيك ـ دردشة شبيك لبيك
شات العنابى ـ دردشة العنابى
شات حب شات الحب دردشة حب حب شات حب شات حبي الحب شات شات السودان شات اليمن دردشة بنات السعودية دردشة السعودية شات سعودي دردشة بنات فلسطين دردشة بنات الكويت شات بنات الامارات شات بنات البحرين دردشة قطرية دردشة بنات قطر شات بنات الاردن دردشة عربية شات بنات تونس دردشة الحب شات حبنا
ان الصحفي العربي هو الدي
ان الصحفي العربي هو الدي يحاول اقناع قرائه بارائه الموهوبة و جلب عدد اكبر من القراء لكن في ظل احترام اخلاقيات هده المهنة و هدا اعتبره في رايي هو اهم شيئ و التي تتوقف على ضمير هدا الصحفي حتى لو كان ضميره يقول له عكس دالك و حسب مقولة الشاعر : ليس المهم ان تبحث عن ما تريد المهم في ان تقنع الناس بما وصلت اليه وفعلا هدا هو المهم زينب
I personally be
I personally believe that unidentified sources play a major role in news gathering but they should be referred to sparingly in the main news copy because they sometimes water down the authenticity of the story itself.
It is also important that the Reporter verifies the info coming from these anonymous sources before acting on it. The other important thing is that the Reporter should use/her judgement before using the info from a source who prefers to stay unidentified.
Changwe News Editor Hot FM Lusaka, Zambia.
The people that
The people that get the 'very important' informations are not the identified journalist; they are not those that are rich and wealthy; not those unmoved by the happenings around them, but by those who are the 'minors' in relevant places. This include the gatekeeper, the cook, the drunks, the secretary, the personal assistants, the cleaners and so on. They are the unseen guests in the 'discussions that matters'. These people get tipped to release such information and can by no means reveal their identity because of ; 1) insecurity 2) inability to get more of such informations. But the truth is they are the relevant to the media. The use of 'anonymous' therefor, cannot be dealt away with completely. However, regulatory body should see to it that the top media personnels in the organization are well convinced about the informations from them.
I personaly bel
I personaly believe that anonymous sources should not be entirely discarded. Rather, it should be used sparingly especialy when the source insists on not being identified. It is therefore incumbent on the Journalist to apply discretion on wether the story is worth using without identification of the source. In my organisation which rans a radio station, you can use the anonymous source only after recording the voice. The recorded voice is not for broadcast but is kept in the library in the need arise to authenticate the use of the source.
Geo Anika, Abuja - Nigeria.
Thank you. We,
Thank you. We, in Myanmar have such sources frequently because Junta already blocks the channels for information flow. Nobody dares to share information by his or her real name. If I've got an unnamed source, I'll trace and detect the content in it. I would make investation for it. I'll look for the contace persons concerning with it. If it's not true, I'll keep it in my mind for following events. Every first information has some things valuable. In my country,Myanmar every unnamed or unknown sources could come real for military government covers or coated real news with their propergenda.
Informations fr
Informations from anonymous sources are vital aids in journalism. However, it should be treated cautiously because it could mislead public and create problems for Journalists if not properly cross-checked.
Most anonymous sources i have personally dealt with are in one way or the other connected to the person(s) or institution(s) they want to expose, in such cases, naming them will create problems for them and will deter other informants from coming to you.
However informations from anonymous sources, if properly
cross-checked, will reveal its accuracy or erroneousness.
The use of anon
The use of anonymous sources is essential in journalism. It oils the machinery of print media most significantly. In Nigeria for instance, most exclusive stories usually emanate from anonymous sources. However, it is imperative that any story offered by an anonymous source should be thoroughly verified and authenticated. Without that such a story should be treated as fake.
Most significantly, every media organisation should refrain from relying heavily on anonymous sources as a main source of news generation. Doing so could only enhance its integrity and credibility.
use of anonymou
use of anonymous sources enables a reporter to protect his/her sources. Sources are the mainstay of a reporter's career, so if sources are compromised in anyway, the reporter's career is finished. How for instance do i report a factual information given to me by a strategically placed security source in my country's Presidency?
Annonymous sour
Annonymous sources are just important for tips and reporters should treat them so.
Using a story from an annonymous source without making further investigations and verifications is dangerous and amounts to lazy journalism.
There are however, times when it becomes practically impossible to get a comment or confirmation of a stroy from a credible person but it is safe to indicate that such and such was contacted but did not comment or confirm.
A recent case involving annonymous sources is that of a source who tipped a South African talk radio that Zambian President Levy Mwanawasa had died and the whole world was cheated until a clarification was made by the Zambian Government.
For me, i believe all sotries from annonymous sources must be treated with caution until a verication is done. In short, stories from annonymous sources should not be used as dry as they are.
Reuben
I believe anony
I believe anonymous sources should be sparingly used to preserve the integrity of our stories. They should be used only when treating intelligence reports because of their sensitive nature or when dealing with important or highly classified national issues. Some unscrupulous journalists have bastardized the use of anonymous sources, employing it either as instrument of blackmail or tool to sell outright falsehood. Editors must be vigilant now, more than ever before, in treating copies lest they become unwilling tools in hands of criminally minded reporters. -Shola Oshunkeye, THE SPECTATOR newspaper, Nigeria.
Post new comment