The question of whether or not to grant a source anonymity can be a tricky one. There’s so much to consider, from the source’s safety, how precious the information at hand is, what your readers think, your newsroom’s sourcing policies and more. Here’s an illustrated guide to start answering that question.
Further reading
- How to interview vulnerable sources without exploiting them. From Kelly McBride, Poynter’s senior vice president and chair of the Craig Newmark Center for Ethics and Leadership and also NPR’s public editor, a practical guide on ethically interviewing vulnerable sources. Here’s a one-sheet guide, developed alongside the article.
- Here’s why you should be willing to believe anonymous sources. A piece from Poynter’s senior media writer Tom Jones on anonymous sources, written in 2020 after The Atlantic editor-in-chief Jeffrey Goldberg used anonymous sources to report on how President Donald Trump has little regard for veterans and military members, calling them “losers” and “suckers” for getting killed in battle and/or volunteering for something bigger than their personal well-being.
More illustrated guides from Poynter
- Can I go… off the record? A conversation between a reporter and a source talking through the possibility of going off the record for a story.
- An illustrated guide to the basics of interviewing. 12 tips on interviewing, listening and note-taking that could improve your next story
- An illustrated guide to ‘pink slime’ journalism. An introduction to the low-effort websites that fill the vacuum where real local news used to be.
