The Scourge of ‘Anonymous Sources’
What used to be an exception in journalism seems to have become a norm: affording anonymity to sources offering some unattainable insight, intentionally-hidden fact, or, it seems, juicy gossip.
If-and-when to grant anonymity is one of the more controversial discussions in the journalism realm, and it should be.
A written, broadcast, Tweeted, Instagrammed, or whatever, record of a story or claim needs to carry credibility and provability, lest one be attacked for ‘fake news.’
At the same time, the eternal news cycle has led some journalists to seek big stories on tighter deadlines, and has led some sources to fear being pilloried by trolls and legitimate critics alike.
But this prevalence of ‘anonymous sources’ is attempting to address a symptom, and not the disease.
The serious and the silly-ish
In September 2018, The New York Times just about broke the internet when it published an unsigned opinion piece from someone who claimed to “work for the president but like-minded colleagues and I have vowed to thwart parts of his agenda and his worst inclinations.”
The piece “I Am Part of the Resistance Inside the Trump Administration” instantly drew condemnation and support that crossed ideological and journalistic lines.
