After controversy, S. African Media Co develops anonymous source policy

iMediaEthics publishes international media ethics news stories and investigations into journalism ethics lapses.

Menu

Home » Anonymous Sources»

South African media company Avusa is developing a policy for anonymous sources. See above a screenshot of some of Avusa's media companies. (Credit: Avusa.co.za)

Earlier this week, iMediaEthics reported that South African newspaper The Herald was accused by a reader of using anonymous sources to report rumors.  The newspaper published both the reader’s letter and its response last week on its website and in its print edition.

Heather Robertson, editor of The Herald, told iMediaEthics via e-mail that while she prefers to use named sources, politics sometimes makes it difficult for the South African newspaper.  She again defended the newspaper’s story and use of anonymous sources.  She also told us that the newspaper’s parent company, Avusa, is developing an anonymous source standard and included some of the future guidelines for the company.

Thabo Leshilo, the public editor for the newspaper’s parent company, Avusa, has been working on developing the policy, Robertson explained.  “All the editors in the Avusa stable contributed to the policy i.e The Sunday Times, the Herald, the Daily Despatch, the Sowetan, The Sunday World and The Times,” Robertson explained in a follow-up e-mail.

Robertson, who has been working on the policy with Leshilo, told StinkyJournalism about some of the intended inclusions in the new anonymous source policy.  The policy was based off the code used at The Sunday Times, where Robertson was deputy editor, she added.

For example, while ideally stories should be sourced on the record, stories should have “at least two independent on-the-record sources with personal knowledge of the facts, or three off-the-record sources with personal knowledge of the facts.”

“We use anonymous sources only when there is no other way to publish the story. Where it is unavoidable to use anonymous sources, we adhere to the following,” Robertson detailed.

Robertson sent iMediaEthics a draft for the intended code. Other guidelines for the newspaper will include expectations that:

  • “Anonymous sources must have direct knowledge of the facts. Wherever possible they should provide evidence.”
  • Independently confirm as much information as possible.
  • Explain why the source is anonymous and what their relationship is.  “Ideally we need to explain to our readers how close to the information the source is, and why we consider him/her to be reliable.  “
  • Be certain that the source doesn’t have a motive.
  • The editor as well as the report must know the source’s identity and approve granting anonymity.  “Ideally we need to explain to our readers how close to the information the source is, and why we consider him/her to be reliable.  “
  • Stories can’t be based on just one anonymous source.
  • If a source is granted anonymity, the entire newspaper is held to that anonymity protection.  However, if the source  gives “dishonest or malicious” information, the editor – and only the editor – may label that a breach of contract and the anonymity may be revoked.
  • Anonymous sources can’t be used for “gratuitous opinion, trivial comment or speculation, or when they make personal or partisan attacks on others. “
  • “Under no circumstances do we mislead our readers by disguising the number of sources we have, or referring to “other officials/sources” when we have already quoted their on-the-record comments.”
  • Wikipedia, Facebook, Twitter and other newspapers aren’t sources, but “research tools.” Further, “reports based solely on something said by someone on Facebook are particularly problematic.”
  • Leshilo, the public editor, will occasionally spot check the reasons for granting anonymity.

iMediaEthics has also written to Leshilo, the public editor, to ask when the code would be official and how it will apply to the Avusa news outlets.  We’ll update with any response.

Submit a tip / Report a problem

After controversy, S. African Media Co develops anonymous source policy

Share this article:

คาสิโน
slot demo
sa gaming
tkb365
https://tkb399.com/login
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
ทำความรู้จักกับ
คาสิโน
สล็อต
tkb138
ซุปเปอร์สล็อต
sa gaming
https://www.hotelplayagolf.com/es/instalaciones/piscinas
tkb365
บาคาร่า
สล็อตเว็บตรง
บาคาร่า
ทดลองเล่นสล็อตฟรี
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต pg
สล็อตเว็บตรง
tkb138
คาสิโน
ซุปเปอร์สล็อต
tkb138
tkb365
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
changbet789
สูตรสล็อต pg ทดลองเล่นฟรี
สล็อต ดาวน์โหลด รับเครดิตฟรี
สล็อต
tkb138
https://www.hotelalbora.com/
https://tkb108.co/register
tkb696
เว็บบาคาร่าโดยตรง
changbet789
สล็อตทดลอง
pg
betflix
pg slot
สล็อต
sbobet
tkb138
https://titanium-hotel.com/
สล็อต
tkb138
taokaebet
tkb777
อันดับแรก
คาสิโน
changbet789
แจกเครดิตฟรี 100%
ทดลองเล่นสล็อตทุกค่ายฟรี
สล็อต
changbet789
tkb365
changbet789
finfinbet
changbet789
tkb108
tkbneko
สล็อต
สล็อต
ลองเล่นสล็อต
สล็อต
https://www.gday96.com/
สล็อตเครดิตฟรี
สล็อต888
สล็อต
โป๊กเกอร์ออนไลน์
บาคาร่าเว็บตรง
changbet789
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต pg
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
ทดลองเล่นสล็อตฟรี
tkb365
tkb365
tkb365
tkb555
tkb555
tkb555
tkb555
tkb555
tkb555
tkb555
tkbking
tkbking
tkbking
tkbking
tkbking
tkbking
thb889
thb889
thb889
thb889
thb889
thb889
thb889
tkb4
tkb4
tkb4
tkb4
tkb4
tkb4
tkb4
tkb9
tkb9
tkb9
tkb9
tkb9
tkb9
tkb9
tkb33
tkb33
tkb33
tkb33
tkb33
tkb33
tkb33
finfinbet
finfinbet
finfinbet
finfinbet
finfinbet
finfinbet
finfinbet
TKB96
tkb96
tkb96
tkb96
tkb96
tkb96
tkb96
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbfun
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpg
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbpussy
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbrich
tkbsexy
tkbsexy
tkbsexy
tkbsexy
tkbsexy
tkbsexy
tkb777
tkb777
tkb777
tkb777
tkb777
tkb777
tkb777
taokaebet
taokaebet
taokaebet
taokaebet
taokaebet
taokaebet
taokaebet
tkbsexy
tkbrich
tkbpussy
tkbpg
tkbfun
tkb96
tkb33
tkb9
tkb4
thb889
tkbking
tkb555
tkb365
changbet789
บาคาร่า
ลองเล่นสล็อต
sa gaming
คาสิโนออนไลน์สด
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อตเว็บตรง
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต pg ซื้อฟรีสปิน
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
บาคาร่า
สล็อต เว็บตรงไม่ผ่านเอเย่นต์ไม่มีขั้นต่ำ
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
สล็อต
บาคาร่า
สล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อต
pg
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต
sa gaming
ทดลองเล่นสล็อต100000
ตรงไปที่สล็อต
SA Gaming
สล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อต
สล็อต
บาคาร่า
สล็อต
สล็อตทดลอง
สล็อตทดลอง
ทดลองเล่นสล็อตทุกค่ายฟรี
สล็อตออนไลน์
pg slot
ทดลองเล่นสล็อตทุกค่ายฟรี
แทงบอล