To show or not to show, the risky question journalists wrestle with
What you need to know:
- The general consensus is that a reporter should never agree in advance to let a source preview a story.
That sounds like a healthy newsroom rule on the risky question, to show or not to show stories to sources.
A reporter promises to share a story with a news source before it’s published. But in the end, he chooses not to and refuses to take calls from the source or respond to correspondence regarding the matter. This is one issue I’m handling this week from a source who complains that the Daily Nation has “failed to provide editorial justice” and “the truth” in a story.
Many sources ask to preview stories before they’re published. If we put aside this particular reporter’s lack of integrity in breaking his promise and bad manners in turning his back on the source, the question remains: Should the reporter have promised to let the source review the story?
The general consensus is that a reporter should never agree in advance to let a source preview a story. There are many reasons for this, but the main one is that it opens the door for censorship.
One journalist puts it bluntly and emphatically: “Never ever share an article with a source prior to publication. That’s just asking for trouble. At the very least, you’re going to have to then deal with all of the crap that they will try to load in.
And if the article is critical, you’re going to have to deal with their attempts at getting you change it or their attempts to quash it; they’ll call you, your boss, the advertising department and threaten to pull out ads. They’ll call your family… Believe me, I’ve had all of this happen to me.”
COMPLEX STORY
However, as I have stated here in the past, exceptions can be made for scientists and other experts who can help one report a scientific or complex story more meaningfully and accurately (See “It is okay for scientists but not politicians to vet reporter’s copy”, Daily Nation, September 28, 2017)
I gave the example of Eunice Kilonzo, then a Nation reporter who specialised in health and science reporting. Reporting on a research study on children with rickets in Kenya, she found it necessary to seek the assistance of the scientists who authored the report.
Ms Kilonzo wanted certain things clarified and amplified to make sure she conveyed to her readers a meaningful and accurate story about rickets in Kenya. Dr Mike English, one of the authors, looked over her story and offered helpful and insightful clarification.
In general, sources request to preview stories to make sure they’re not misquoted and the story doesn’t cast them in a bad light. Many make such requests.
“Indeed, it’s common for some sources to request, and at times demand, to read a story before it’s published,” NMG Executive Editor Pamella Sittoni told me. “Their biggest concern or fear usually is that they might be quoted out of context or inaccurately.”
INDEPENDENCE
She, however, said sharing a story with a source is generally discouraged the world over, including at NMG, because of the potential to violate the cardinal journalistic principle of independence.
“Once a journalist gets information from a source, or multiple sources, he or she must exercise absolute independence in using that information to write a story,” said Ms Sittoni. “Sharing the story with the source is opening up a window for them to influence the writing of the story to suit their interests. Also, imagine a story involving multiple sources: Would it be fair to let one source know what the others have said before the story is published?
“So, we have an unwritten rule not to share our stories with sources before they are published. However, to put sources at ease regarding accuracy, it’s advisable for journalists to record all interviews. Some sources also chose to independently record conversations with journalists as their backup. A journalist could also go back to the source after the interview to play back a quote or two, or clarify figures, or technical information.”
That sounds like a healthy newsroom rule on the risky question, to show or not to show stories to sources.
The Public Editor is an independent news ombudsman who handles readers’ complaints on editorial matters including accuracy and journalistic standards. Email: [email protected]. Call or text 0721989264.
