Sorting Out Sources

When readers scan any major news publication, rarely are the sources for any given story questioned or challenged for their validity. Perhaps in papers with a large circulation it is automatically assumed that everything in the story derives from a truthful source. However, when areader becomes conscious of what it is they're reading it sometimes isn't difficult to find stories that are either weakly sourced or void of a specific source at all.

For example, published on Nov. 12th in the Toronto Star, a story from The Associated Press reported a major oil spill that had occurred in Russia. For the majority of the story there are no sources given and when one finally does surface, they aren't quoted and no direct comments are made on the actual events. Terms like "researchers" and "officials" are used without any names attached, leaving an aware reader searching for a credible source to back up the information swirling around the events.

Another story published on the same day, this time from the Brantford Expositor, focused on the closing of a major road within the city. The story is literally three sentences in length and among these three statements not a single source is mentioned. Instead of devoting only a half-sentence to why this was occurring the author may have made a bit more of a story about it. Even including a comment or an opinion from a city councilor, city engineer, or simply an everyday man that uses the road on a regular basis would have rounded out the peice and instilled a confidence within the reader. A story that may be newsworthy enough to be included in a publication should have at least 3 or 4 credible sources so the public knows the information they are reading is valid.