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DEPARTMENT: B.A. (Hons) Journalism
SEMESTER: I
PAPER: INTRODUCTION TO JOURNALISM
UNIT: I
TOPIC: ATTRIBUTION, BREVITY, ON-RECORD, OFF THE RECORD
Time Period: The mentioned topic was discussed in class in the second week of December, 2022.
ATTRIBUTION
In journalism, journalists are opined to write news stories that are educating, informing, entertaining, and persuading others. News stories are real-life situations therefore it is factual. It is real so journalists are to report on accurate news.
Journalists rely on a range of sources to get the facts that are based on evidence or proof. Thus, they are expected to provide shreds of evidence for whatever they are reporting. In journalistic writing, these shreds of evidence come in the form of videos, pictures, recordings, quotes, and ATTRIBUTIONS.
Attribution simply means telling your readers where the information in your story comes from, as well as who is being quoted.
Generally, attribution means using a source’s full name and job title if that's relevant. Information from sources can be paraphrased or quoted directly, but in both cases, it should be attributed.
EXAMPLES:
SOURCE (PARAPHRASE)
William Tale, a police official, said the murder case is very unusual.
SOURCE (DIRECT QUOTE)
“This murder case is so out of the box. I’ve never seen anything like this”, said William Tale, a police official.
Direct quotes should be surrounded by quotation marks and include the source’s exact words. Paraphrased statements and indirect quotes should not be placed in quotation marks.
IMPORTANCE OF ATTRIBUTION
Attribution is very important in media writing; it helps to establish an objective tone and adds credibility to an article. One must not keep out readers in the dark and hence attributing the information adds extra weight to it. Attribution gives stories a perspective. It tells readers how we know what we know. It is important to give credit to the person or group who spent the time researching and writing in order to provide that information. It allows readers to find the source later if they want to read it themselves.
Learning the critical role attribution plays within the craft is one of the true building blocks necessary to become a strong, ethical reporter and hence Effective use of attribution is a matter both of journalism ethics and of strong writing.
Buttry goes on to note: "Attribution is a key ingredient in any story’s credibility”.
Attribution is an important aspect of reporting, yet there exist situations where it should be avoided. Following are the cases when it's not needed.
FACTS– Facts that are universally accepted like, Sun rises in the East, do not need any proof thus do not need to be attributed. In cases where we as a journalist have witnessed an event ourselves, there the question of attribution does not arise at all. Also, whenever something is way too evident to be quoted, attribution is not necessary.
OPINIONS– There is no alternative to attribution when statements made are opinions. The exact balance of attribution depends on the kind of story you are writing or the material you can use. If the statements are reliably factual throughout, you only need to attribute occasionally. If, however, the story is heavy with opinion or unreliable statements, you should attribute at least once every two sentences.
Attribution becomes even more important in the world of media because listeners and readers have a tendency to believe everything as truth. So, in order to differentiate facts with opinions, attribution in opinions is a necessity.
DIFFERENT TYPES OF ATTRIBUTION
In his book News Reporting and Writing, journalism professor Melvin Mencher outlines four distinct types of attribution:
1. On the record: All statements are directly quotable and attributable, by name and title, to the person making the statement. This is the most valuable type of attribution.
Example: "The U.S. has no plans to invade Iran," said White House press secretary Jim Smith.
2. On Background: All statements are directly quotable but can't be attributed by name or specific title to the person commenting.
Example: "The U.S. has no plans to invade Iran," a White House spokesman said.
3. On Deep Background: Anything that is said in the interview is usable but not in a direct quotation and not for attribution. The reporter writes it in their own words.
Example: Invading Iran is not in the cards for the U.S.
4. Off the Record: Information is for the reporter's use only and is not to be published. The information also is not to be taken to another source in hopes of getting confirmation.
In conclusion, attribution in journalism plays a crucial role in ensuring the accuracy and credibility of news stories. By properly attributing information to its sources, journalists can maintain the public trust and provide with a clear understanding of where the information came from. Effective attribution helps to ensure that journalism remains a trusted and reliable source of information in an ever-changing media landscape.
Attribution, while also ethical, serves as a sort of armor for journalists. We make it clear: it’s not our words, it’s the words of this person or agency.
BREVITY IN JOURNALISM
INTRODUCTION
There is a great power in words, as long as you don’t hitch them all together.
Brevity is a highly prized attribute of communication in journalism often associated with clarity which is a major goal in communications. It is the quality or state of being brief in duration. When applied to writing, it means using as few words as possible to communicate a message or idea. This can be done through the use of short sentences, active voice, and specific language.
BREVITY: The power of saying more with less. The civic argument for the “Smart Brevity” style is that it’s the sort of “just the facts” kind of journalism that is needed to cut through partisan noise.
However, Brevity does not mean sacrificing quality or accuracy. A journalist must still be able to tell a story and provide context in a limited amount of space. But with practice, it is possible to communicate effectively without being wordy. Thus, brevity should be proportional, neither leaving out anything necessary nor including more than is needed.
For e.g. - Write less, say more' is the slogan of US digital news outlet Axios. It has created a writing style called 'smart brevity' to help readers scan for the information they need and go about their busy lives.
IMPORTANCE
1. In a fast-paced world, journalism must be concise to be effective.
2. Brevity is one of the most important attributes of written or spoken discourse. Brevity avoids “static, unnecessary information”.
3. “Brevity is confidence, length is fear”; if journalists ramble, it is usually because of the absence of command over the information, lack of actual effort in collecting facts and any wrong agenda. This makes the news material less trustworthy. Hence, brevity indirectly increases faith and credibility.
4. In the age of social media, where people are bombarded with information, brevity is more important than ever. A well-written article with a clear and concise message is more likely to be read and shared than one that is long and rambling.
5. Brevity is a central component for achieving clarity, which is the primary goal of written communication.
Brevity in journalism is a crucial aspect of effective news reporting. By focusing on clear, concise writing, journalists can deliver the most important information to their readers in a straightforward, easily and digestible manner. Brevity in journalism allows readers to quickly grasp the essence of a story, and stay informed about the world around them.
ON AND OFF THE RECORD
INTRODUCTION
We often hear the term ‘On the record’ and ‘Off the record’ in our daily life. When used correctly, these phrases can help navigate sensitive topics, lend credibility to one’s statements, and strengthen their relationship with reporters. But by using them incorrectly or failing to clearly define the terms in an interaction with a reporter, one can risk inappropriate sharing, backlash, and damaged relationships. Unless a person enters into an agreement ahead of time, he should always expect that anything he tells a reporter could end up in a news story, whether it's in print, online, or on television.
‘ON’ THE RECORD
All statements are directly quotable and attributable, by name and title, to the person making the statement.
Example: "The U.S. has no plans to invade Iran," said White House press secretary Jim Smith.
The most straightforward of the two, “on the record” means everything one says can be reported on and attributed to him. Unless otherwise stated, assume one is “on the record” whenever he communicates with a reporter. Whether he speaks on the phone, in person, via email, or through a tweet, anything he says is fair game for attribution. If a reporter follows up with him after an interview with additional questions or to clarify some of his answers, he is “on the record” once again.
Remember:
When talking to a reporter, one generally will not say that something is on the record unless he has previously been speaking off the record. Avoid going on and off the record multiple times during a conversation.
‘OFF’ THE RECORD’
The information provided is not for publication. However, the information you provide can be used without attribution to verify its veracity with another source.
Example: politician A says, “Off the record, you should look at politician B’s campaign finances. Lots of weird stuff.”
So, I look at it. If I call B and ask him about it, I won’t say A told me. On that matter, A is an anonymous source.
Though “on the record” is clear and direct, “off the record” is more ambiguous. While it means what one says cannot be published or attributed to him, don’t throw caution to the wind just because one has used it. To establish that something is “off the record”, the source and reporter must both agree to the terms before one can share any sensitive information that he doesn’t want to quote. Otherwise, if he or she doesn’t acknowledge the assumed terms, what he says is fair game for publication and reporters are obliged to grant retrospective off-the-record requests—they have every right to quote something one has said even if he later asks that one’s statement be off the record (he or she can’t unhear it!).
Go “off the record” anytime you want to tip off a reporter about an issue, but don’t want the public to know that you were the source because of some sensitivity. It’s also commonly used when meeting with a reporter for an informational meeting (instead of an interview) to provide details about you, your work, and issues that are important to you, and to suggest potential story ideas.
In conclusion, understanding the difference between on and off the record in journalism is crucial for maintaining ethical standards and preserving the trust between the journalists and their sources. By being aware of the implications of going on or off the record, journalists can make informed decisions and report accurately and responsibly.
(This is compiled by a team of 3 students from the batch 2026. This is published under the Media Research Cell, established by Dr.Vartika Nanda in the year 2020.)
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