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Article: Anonymous sources. (journalists' use of anonymous sources) (includes related articles) (Cover Story)
- Article from:
- American Journalism Review
- Article date:
- December 1, 1994
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 1994 University of Maryland. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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A flurry of inaccurate stories about O.J. Simpson based on unnamed sources has rekindled the debate over their use. Detractors say they hurt the media's credibility: Defenders say without them important stories would never be told.
Ohio University Journalism Professor Hugh Culberstson knew he had a hot topic. Editors around the country were agonizing over the use of anonymous sources, fearing they were relying on them too heavily, damaging the press' credibility in the process. Culbertson surveyed more than 200 editors.
The results: Most said competition forced them to use unnamed sources, even though 81 percent considered them inherently less ...