Definition of Journalistic Source

The origin of the information that appears in a media it is known by a specific term, journalistic source. In the profession of communicator, it is essential that the origin of the data is truthful and reliable. Otherwise, the phenomenon of misinformation occurs.

There is a general principle that should inspire the exercise of the journalistic profession: do not accept that a news story is true until its content has been verified through a reliable source. Thus, it would be inappropriate to consider a simple “tweet” as valid news if there is no verification of it. (who wrote it, with what intention and, above all, if its content corresponds to the truth of the facts).

Types of fonts

A source can be a person, a document, or an information agency. Any of them provides concrete data on a matter. The journalist must assess whether such information can become news of general interest.

In the drafting The news must be quoted with precision and avoiding vagueness (it would be inappropriate to speak of well-informed sources without saying which ones exactly).

The anonymous personal sources used by a journalist are determined by the professional and personal relationship established between the journalist and his confidant.

A press office is also a source of information.

On the other hand, all means of communication handles a series of documents that can potentially be transformed into news, such as monographs, publications, statistical data, yearbooks or databases.

In exchange for a remuneration, an information agency provides news to different media and these in turn spread it.

The professional attitude of the journalist with respect to his sources and the question of the "off record"

Like many other professions, journalism must be carried out according to a code deontological. In this sense, most of the media establish guidelines that should be respected. Some of them are the following: rectify information that has been proven false, do not use unworthy methods to get news or adopt a attitude respectful in relation to the right to the privacy of people.

Whoever informs a journalist may have misgivings when providing certain information. In this context, the figure of the "off record" appears.

Imagine that a person has strong evidence about the corrupt behavior of a politician. Faced with this situation, he gets in touch with a journalist to tell him the details of the matter, but tells him that he does not want to appear in the news as an informative source.

In short, the journalist and his source reach a pact: information is provided but the identity of the source remains hidden.

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