The Gawker Policy on Anonymous Sources
As some people have already noted, the Deep Throat story has returned to the public eye just as the media engaged in a debate over the use of anonymous sourcing. Outlets like the New York Times and Newsweek have received a great deal of criticism recently over the quality of their reporting, and have announced very public plans to revamp their sourcing policies. We here at Gawker have thought long and hard about these issues as well — as a shining beacon of integrity and trustworthiness, the last bastion of true objective journalism in the forest of opinionated "bloggers" and shouting partisans, we know we have a responsibility to our readership, who depend on us for solid, unimpeachable reporting from credible sources. To preserve that fragile trust, we give you the Gawker Policy on Anonymous Sources:
1) We will not print information from an anonymous source unless we read it in an email, or are told it while drunk.
The rest, after the jump.
2) We will work to ensure the accuracy of all information from sources requesting anonymity, unless it's pretty funny.
3) Effort will be made to explain to the readers why a source requested anonymity, often with excuses we make up or self-writing jokes about Anna Wintour.
4) Sometimes, a source will remain anonymous because we forget his or her name.
5) Confidential sources must have direct knowledge of the information they are giving us or they must be the authorized representatives of an authority, known to us, who has such knowledge. Or they could have heard it from their boyfriend's friend who works for Hearst, or someone they met at a bar last night. Or they could have dreamed it.
6) Sources abusing their anonymity to engage in personal attack will be printed immediately and egged on irresponsibly. -AP
