Use this checklist to ensure you build and manage credible news sources so that your journalism remains authoritative, original, and high-quality.
It’s based on the article Developing and handling news sources which we recommend you read before following the news source checklist below.
News sources are vital for journalists to find essential stories. Without reliable information, reporters would be left staring at a blank page.
Documents, such as news/press releases can be sources, as can financial, political and crime reports. Even an article published by a rival news organisation is a news source; so, too, are the news wires.
But the main sources that a journalist needs to manage throughout their career are human – whether they are politicians, the boss of a local company, a homeless person on the street, or a neighbour – they all need handling with care.
Your source management checklist
- [ ] Identify your source types: News sources can be documents (reports and news/press releases) or people. People are your most important assets because they provide the context behind the documents.
- [ ] Start your contacts book immediately: Never wait for a story to come to you. Start a list of people from all walks of life – from government officials to local neighbours – and keep their details organised. You never know when you might need them.
- [ ] Be honest about your identity: When you approach someone, always state clearly that you are a journalist, name the organisation you work for, and explain why you want to talk to them. This builds the trust necessary for them to open up.
- [ ] Check the source’s motive: Ask yourself why this person is talking to you. Are they trying to help the public, or are they trying to settle a score or spread fake news? Understanding their reasons for talking to you helps you stay objective.
- [ ] Maintain professional distance: Be friendly, but do not become friends. Avoid doing favours or making deals in exchange for information. If a source expects a favour in return, inform your editor immediately.
- [ ] Verify with a second source: You are entirely responsible for establishing that the information you’ve been given is accurate – and that you can prove it. You might need to find a second, independent source to fact-check it.
- [ ] Identify conflicts of interest: If you have a personal connection to a story or a source (such as a family member being involved), tell your editor. It is better to be taken off a story than to have your integrity questioned later. Conflicts of interest damage journalism.
- [ ] Explain how the news works: Do not assume your source knows what happens to their information. Explain that their words might appear online, on social media, or on TV. Ensure they understand the difference between talking ‘on the record’ and ‘off the record’.
- [ ] Protect those at risk: If a source is a whistleblower or a victim who fears for their safety, discuss anonymity with your editor. Once you promise to protect a source’s identity, you must keep that promise.
- [ ] Keep in regular touch: Do not call people only when you need something. Check in with your contacts occasionally to see how they are. This keeps the relationship warm for when the next big story breaks.
- [ ] Electronically stored data is unsafe: If you need to protect the anonymity of your source, you must not keep any of your notes or the details of contacts between you in your telephone, tablet or computer. Electronic records are all discoverable by the authorities or other parties.
Building a strong network of sources is a lifelong task, but it is the most rewarding part of our profession. Treat every person you interview with respect and honesty, and you will soon find that the best stories start finding their way to you.
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