Literature Network » Anonymous

Anonymous sources needed, but must be used with caution

Content courtesy of

From: The Quill
Date: 20050601
Author:Brown, Fred

Anonymous sources are losing favor in journalism. From an ethical perspective, that's mostly a good thing.

That's "mostly" but not "unequivocally" good. Anonymous sources can generate some important stories. The recently revealed "Deep Throat" is a reminder of the enormous potential of anonymous sources.

The problem is that they also make a lot of readers, viewers and listeners suspicious. Secrecy raises questions about the motives of both reporter and source. It hurts the credibility and accountability of media outlets.

Journalists recoil at trying to appease their critics. But this is ...

Read the rest of this article with a Free Trial at HighBeam Research.

Other Articles on Anonymous

About Our Articles: We've partnered with Highbeam Research to provide these article excerpts for your research needs. However, due to copyright laws, we cannot publish the whole article. To view these articles in full length you'll need to use the link above to access the free trial at Highbeam.