This document discusses guidelines for journalists in dealing with sources of information. It outlines different types of sources including eyewitnesses, officials, organizations, and documents. It emphasizes the importance of transparency in relationships with sources and protecting sources, especially vulnerable ones. The document provides questions for journalists to consider regarding clarifying the relationship with sources, ensuring sources understand publication terms, assessing source motivations, exhausting other options before granting anonymity, and avoiding overly close relationships that could undermine independence.

1. Assigned by Sir Ramzan
Presented by Shahid

2.  Source :
 Anything that provides news information for
a period of time is said to be a news source.
News sources can be a moving person or still
documents.

3.  Police station:
 Hospital:
 Courts :
 Accidents or other events :
 official records :
 Publications or broadcasts :
 Leaks documents :
 Officials in government or business :

4.  Witnesses of crime :
 People involved with or affected by a news
event or issue :
 Organizations or corporations :

5.  Good journalism is only ever as good as our
sources of information.
 Most of those sources are personal, many are
official, and some will be anonymous whistle-
blowers.Together they provide reporters
with the lifeblood of their trade – reliable,
accurate and truthful information.

6.  Journalists need to be as transparent as
possible in their relations with sources.
 Journalists have to assess the vulnerability of
sources as well as their value as providers of
information.

7.  They have to explain the process of their
journalism and why they are covering the
story.
 They should not, except in the most
extraordinary circumstances, use deception
in their dealings with sources.

8.  Have I clarified with my source the basis of
our relations and have I been fully
transparent about my intentions?
 Have I taken care to protect the source – for
instance if they are a young person or
someone in vulnerable circumstances – to
ensure they are aware of the potential
consequences of publication of the
information they give?

9.  Protection of sources is well recognised in
international law as a key principle
underpinning press freedom. It has been
specifically recognised by the United Nations
and the Council of Europe.

10.  Am I confident the source fully understands
the conditions of our interview and what I
mean by off-the-record, on background, not-
for attribution, or other labels?
 If a source asks for conditions before
agreeing to an interview, what are my limits?

11.  Would I pay for a source’s expenses related to
an interview?What legitimate costs could be
paid?
 Would I agree to provide legal
representation?

12.  journalists have to make their own
decisions, based upon conscience and their
own responsibility, but revealing a source
of information is never to be taken lightly.
 Who will benefit if this source is revealed?
 Who will suffer and who will lose?
 Will a criminal or powerful figure guilty of
malpractice escape justice?

13.  Is this a case where the police and other
investigating authorities are genuinely unable
to provide the required information?
 Will the work of other journalists and the
mission of media be compromised by
revealing information?
 Will the public interest be served or not be
served by cooperation?

14.  Sometimes journalists make the mistake of
getting too close to their source.They
sometimes create cosy relations that are
ambiguous and can easily undermine the
ethical base of their work. Powerful sources
have their own agenda and accepting what
they say without question crosses an ethical
line and compromises newsroom
independence.

15.  Anonymity is a right which should be enjoyed
by those who need it and should never be
granted routinely to anyone who asks for it.
People who may lose their job for
whistleblowing; or young children; or women
who are the victims of violence and abuse
and others who are vulnerable and at risk
from exposure are obviously entitled to it

16.  but anonymity is not a privilege to be
enjoyed by people who are self-seeking and
who benefit by personal gain through
keeping their identity secret.

17.  What is the likely motivation for demanding
anonymity? Does that motivation potentially
compromise me and my publication?
 Are there other methods I can employ to
increase credibility while granting
anonymity?
 Is there no other way to get and publish this
information? Have I exhausted all other
methods and potential sources?

18.  Do I or my colleagues have history with this
source that speaks to his/her credibility?
 Have I maximised the level of identification
that can be published without revealing the
source’s personal identity?

19. Any Questiom??
Thanks