Wednesday, June 17, 2009

The Times has scored a spectacular own goal

How many times have we seen or heard journalists - on all newspapers - refer to "sources" or claim that an "insider" has revealed something to them?

Well, with The Times having used the legal process to reveal the identity of an anonymous blogger - NightJack - they have single handedly removed their right to use anonymous sources.

By their standards all sources must now be named. No longer will a journalist be able to claim that their source has a right to anonymity - if they don't believe a blogger has, then neither do their sources.

Next time you see a Times article cite an unnamed source or anonymous "spokesperson" write to them and demand that they reveal - in public - the name of that source. That is, after all, the standard they themselves demand.

No comments: