SOURCES OF NEWS

A news source is any person or organization that provides information to a journalist. News sources can be a moving person or still documents, such as people who have witnessed the crime would come to the news source or documents found at the suicide crime spot would be considered as a news source. 

Bernie Sanders rightly said, “Citizens in a democracy need diverse sources of news and information.” Anything that provides news information for a period of time is said to be a news source.

There are several news sources such as official documents, governmental officials, witnesses of the crime scene, the victim itself etc. Other key sources are journalists and their correspondents, who gather information from various people, and direct communications like press releases, press conferences, and even personal networks of friends and family.  News sources are required for both the journalists and for the audiences.

Needless to say, news is dependent on news sources and the news organisations’ ability to get the news out in a timely (news being a perishable commodity), reliable and presentable manner. At the same time, of the many events that occur not everything becomes news. News therefore is a complex process that involves selection of events that are deemed ‘news worthy’. This selection implies three things: one, that a certain class of people who we know as journalists and editors make the selection on our behalf and decide what we must read as news; second, it inherently means that certain people or sources have more access or privileged access to media than others and therefore become newsmakers and third, it mandates a routinised functioning of the media which presents stories in a specified format and in a factory-like content production to produce news 24x7.

Since the role of journalists is interpretational in that they infer an event for us, framing it or mapping it in a certain social or cultural context and thus making it intelligible to the audiences, the choice of one source over another is often ideological.

Stuart Hall points at three aspects of the social production of news- first, the bureaucratic organisation of the media which produces the news in specific types or categories; second, the

structure of news values which orders the selection and ranking of stories within these categories and third, the moment of the construction of news stories which implies contextualisation of an event by the media.

Sources are very important to report on events or issues and explain the world to the audience. Journalists try to work as much as possible from their own observations, but this is often not possible. Some events or issues are finished before the journalist gets there. Others are like plants which only show their stem and leaves above the ground - the all-important roots are hidden from sight. Journalists who only report what they see can miss much of the news unless they have sources to tell them of more details or other aspects which are out of sight.

In the digital era, the rapid growth of information means not all sources are equally reliable. Every piece of information a journalist obtains—whether from an eyewitness, a police report, or an online dataset—must be verified for credibility, accuracy, and intent. Source verification is thus not something separate from sourcing, but an essential part of engaging with any news source. By training themselves in verification techniques, journalists ensure the news sources they use contribute to the integrity of the report rather than to the spread of misinformation.

TYPES OF SOURCES 

Primary Sources

Often the source is someone at the centre of the event or issue. We call such people primary sources. They are usually the best sources of information about their part of what happened. They should be able to give accurate details and also supply strong comments. Primary sources are original materials that provide direct evidence or first-hand accounts of an event. Primary sources in breaking news may include eyewitness accounts, official statements, and live footage from the scene. 

A word of warning here: If any of the sources, however reliable, gives the information which is defamatory, the concerned journalist can still be taken to court for using it. He/She is responsible for deciding whether or not to publish the defamatory material.

Characteristics:

Originality: They are original materials, not interpretations.

Directness: They provide a direct window into the event.

Evidence: They serve as the core evidence for a news story.

Examples:

Eyewitnesses: An individual who personally saw a crime or event.

Original Documents: A government report, a court transcript, a company's internal memo, a suicide note.

Direct Quotes: A speech given by a political leader.

Raw Data: A dataset of crime statistics from a police department or economic data from a government agency.

Media: Original photographs, audio recordings, or video footage from the scene.

Secondary Sources

Secondary sources are those people who do not make the news, but who pass it on. The official police report of an incident or comments by someone's press officer can be called secondary sources. Secondary sources are not usually as reliable as primary sources. Secondary sources interpret, analyze, or summarize information from primary sources. 

Most eyewitnesses should be treated as secondary sources for journalists because, although they are able to tell what they think they have seen, they are often not trained for such work and can be very inaccurate, without meaning to be. Journalists have to assess the reliability of secondary sources and if necessary tell  readers or listeners where the information came from. 

Characteristics:

Interpretation: They involve analysis and contextualization.

Synthesis: They often combine information from multiple primary sources.

Distance: They lack the immediacy of a primary source.

Examples:

-Official Spokespersons: A press secretary commenting on a presidential decision. They are relaying information, not the primary decision-maker.

-Expert Analysis: An academic expert explaining the implications of a scientific study. The study itself is the primary source; the expert's analysis is secondary.

-Reports about an Event: Another journalist's news article about a press conference.

-Most Information from News Agencies: While a news agency reporter might be a primary source for an event they witness, the report they file, once packaged and distributed, is consumed by other news outlets as a secondary source.

Secondary sources include:

I. Press Release

A type of news source where information can be collected through the official statements made to journalists by the concerned organization, a political party or a government department. This type of news sources are tagged as “Pseudo Events”. They  attempt to make publicity. Press Releases are generally used for the release of a particular news. A press release is a piece of news or information that companies send out to inform the public and the press about something noteworthy or of material significance. Press releases are usually handled by a company's public relations (PR) department.

Companies issue press releases, which may be spread to a wider audience through the use of a newswire service, to announce newsworthy topics, such as a new product, a quarterly earnings report, an impending merger, the cast and creatives of a new Hollywood film project, or any other material information.

Type of Press Releases:

1. General news & public announcements: This is to announce some important company news you feel is relevant and worthy of sharing.

Examples could be successful funding rounds, new management, or new technology to aid customers.

2. Event press release: Press releases can announce upcoming events hosted by your company to media outlets and current or potential customers.

It reveals the event's theme, who will be speaking, and where it will be held. The event could be a conference or charity event.

3. Crisis communications press release: The idea is to deliver the information about the situation to your intended audience and to detail how you will respond. It can also unite people, as we’ll see. 

4. Charity press release: You want a journalist to write about your event, fundraising, or campaign. The purpose is to raise awareness to a broader audience and increase participation.

5. Product launch or improvement press release: These press releases tell an audience about a new or improved product being launched. The idea is to focus on what makes this product different from your competitors and sell its benefits.

II. Press Conference 

It is a meeting at which somebody or the concerned organization talks to a group of journalists in order to answer their questions or necessary official statements. A press conference is an event organized to officially distribute information and answer questions from the media. Corporations, government bodies, and other organizations may use press conferences to address specific announcements. These events can be planned to address both positive and negative news, such as product launches or controversies, allowing companies to shape the narrative in their favour. Press conferences are often accompanied by a press release that outlines the details of the event, ensuring media and public awareness in advance.

III. Press notes

A Press Note is a shorter and smarter version of a press release. It is issued to the media for giving the highlights of an event, modifications in the event, and for giving rapid updates. It does not require many details since it is only interested in giving the important points in a concise manner.  The press notes are less formal in character. These are also issued on important official matters e.g. raising or lowering of tariff rates, price fixation of food grains, subsidy announcement of seeds, fertilizer etc. Apart from the name of department, place and date, a press note mentions headings. Unlike the press communiqué, the newspaper can edit or condense the press notes.

IV. Handouts 

According to John Hoheberg, author of the book “The Professional Journalist”, handout is a contemptuous name bestowed by newspapers long ago on the public relations news release. Writing techniques of a handout are mainly the same as that of a press release* However, a handout on the one hand, highlights President, Prime Minister and Ministers or some others top officials’ activities and on the other, it is meant for general people, so it should be written in simple, effective language with all important facts recorded objectively and honestly, and in the feast possible words.It should answer the 5Ws and IH. The handouts are issued on a variety of subjects like the day-to-day activities of the ministry or departments, VIP speeches, question and answers in Parliament or legislature and the developmental programmes of government departments. It covers the name of the PIB or information department. No official handout is issued, if the minister or a government official has spoken in his personal capacity.

V. Press statement

There is a subtle difference between a press release and a press statement, although organizations often use the two terms interchangeably. A press release is generally used for new information such as an announcement or update.   Press releases are also useful for conveying information such as statistical data, lists of candidates, or lists of polling sites.  A press statement is utilized for a reactionary statement. The statements are usually given by known people, then he shares his statement with the media and later this becomes a press statement.

VI. Police station 

Every event which is of big concern to the police station would be firstly found in the police station. If the reporter wants to know about a crime scene he would get first-hand information from the police station.

VII. Speeches

Speeches are one of the important news sources today. The highlight of the speech is done on “who spoke” and " what is spoken”. Majority of the political leaders, celebrities and famous people are given priority from the simple nonsense speech to the high level of speech.

VIII. News Agency

News agency is an organization that collects news and supplies to newspapers, television and radio companies at a certain cost. News agencies collect news and sources  and sell them to other news organizations.  News agencies are a steady source of news for media outlets.

Each news organisation subscribes to a large number of national and international news agencies or ‘wire services’ to keep a close tab on all that is happening in different parts of the world where they can neither set their own bureaus or afford to send reporters. For example, maintaining a foreign correspondent in all the capitals of the EU throughout the year will be extremely expensive, indeed out of reach for most newspapers or TV channels based in New Delhi which would otherwise mean that they cut themselves out from news developments in these places. 

IX. Internet

The Internet has somehow challenged traditional news sources in many ways. It  is a storehouse of information. Reporters are finding it easy in collecting news sources  that they don’t need to run for news events instead information is right on their doorstep. Search engines such as google  and websites have countless information to provide. New media and the internet have radically altered the way news is collected, disseminated and consumed. The significance of the internet as a source of news is very well documented in the literature on online news and social media. Newspapers and television news channels keep a track of what news items are posted on different news portals and websites on a daily basis.

However not all information from digital and social media sources is trustworthy. Sometimes, what appears to be a legitimate news source can actually be a conduit for misinformation or even deliberate disinformation. Journalists must recognize this possibility with every new source, adding an extra layer of critical assessment to the process of choosing and using news sources.

X. Written Sources

Written reports can make an excellent source of information for a journalist. They are usually written after a lot of research by the authors, they have been checked for accuracy and are usually published with official approval.

However, just because information is printed, that does not mean that it is reliable. With typewriters, computers and modern technology, it is relatively easy to produce printed material. One must look at who has produced the document. 

XI. Leaked Document Sources

Documents are often leaked by people who believe that the public should know the contents (such as an environmental report), but who are unable to reveal it in public themselves, perhaps because they do not have the authority to do so. In some cases, documents are leaked by a person to gain an advantage over someone else, perhaps someone who is criticised in the report. Leaked documents are often excellent sources of news stories because they can contain information which someone wants to keep secret. This might be a plan to do something which the public might oppose, such as bulldozing homes to make a new road. It might be a report on corruption within an organisation which the heads of that organisation do not want to be publicly known.

There are also legal dangers to consider when using leaked documents. They might, for instance, have been stolen. It is usually an offence to receive stolen property if one thinks it could have been stolen, even if it is only a few sheets of paper. Photocopying the document then returning it is often a way to overcome this problem. Leaked documents could also be covered by copyright, so a journalist could be breaking the law by quoting directly from them. He/She is on safer ground in reporting the substance of what was said, in their own words.

XII. Sources from Reporters

One of the most reliable sources of information (although not completely reliable) are other journalists. They may be  colleagues or reporters from a news agency which supplies one's organisation. If they are well trained, experienced and objective, their reports will usually be accurate and can be trusted. A reporter's story should be checked by the news editor then the sub-editor. 

XIII. Tip-off Sources

Occasionally someone will call with a story tip-off but refuse to give their name. These are said to be anonymous (meaning "no name"). These are the most dangerous sources of information and should only be used with extreme caution. Although anonymous tip-offs can provide good story ideas, they must never be used without a lot of checking. If they are wrong, the concerned journalist will be held directly responsible unless he/she has checked what they said with other more reliable sources.

On the basis of storage and experience, sources can be classified into:

Stored sources

This refers to information a journalist can look up, in a book, in a library, on the Web – anywhere that information is recorded. The good news reporter knows sources of information and can find them quickly. 

   Once, this was considered the least useful of all types of sources for the journalist. The web has changed that, however. Now because of the web, stored information can be accessed quickly and readily, and that information is much more likely to be more recent. Even the web does not solve the basic problems of stored sources: they are static (they can’t be questioned) and they still may not contain the very latest information.

Observational Sources

This is information that a journalist can get from personal experience, by going to a city council meeting, a fire, a press conference, etc. Reporters like to be on the scene. They like to be at events. Covering news from an affair is not always satisfactory. They like to see with their own eyes, hear with their own ears. They like to talk to the people who are there and get the sights and sounds and smells of a news event. Being an eyewitness to something and being able to talk to people who have experienced it is an experience that cannot be duplicated. Reporters learn to prepare themselves to cover an event by:

● learning as much as they can about the event beforehand

● getting into a position to see and hear what is going on

● talking with people who are also experiencing the event

● taking good notes; using a digital recorder; making notes to themselves immediately after the event

● taking pictures

Personal sources

This is information that you get from talking to people. Most news reporters have to interview people to complete their news stories. Being able to talk to people — and getting people to talk to them — is one of the most important skills of reporters. Many people are reluctant to talk with reporters because they are afraid of being misquoted or afraid of the consequences of being in the news. Others are anxious to talk with reporters but they may not have good information or they may be pushing their own agenda or point of view. Reporters must learn to get the most from their sources by:

● finding the right people to talk to is essential, rather than using “sources of convenience”.

● respecting their feelings and position.

● dealing with them ethically by identifying themselves, understanding the

principles of on-the-record and off-the-record conversations, and maintaining the confidentiality of sources even when it is difficult to do so (such as being faced with going to jail.

● learning how to interview people properly.

On the basis of occurrence, sources can be classified into

Predictable News Source

Predictable News sources are sources that  are likely  to happen at a given time , date and location where the incidents take place. Such as  celebrations, conferences, festivals and parliamentary sessions etc.

Unpredictable News Source

A type of news source where  incidents  occur all of a sudden and out of control. The reporters are unaware about the happening of these incidents. For example- landslides, earthquakes, shootings etc.

Anticipated News Source

A type of news source where the information has to be investigated and  collected on the probability of making news. An example can be a reporter doing a beat report on crime.

Source Verification in the Digital Age

The ability to find sources has become easier, but the challenge of verifying them has become exponentially harder. Key principles include:

Corroboration: Always try to confirm information with at least one other independent source.

Source Motivation: Ask why the source is providing this information. Do they have a personal, political, or financial agenda?

Check for Evidence: Go to the primary source. If a report references a study, find the original study.

Digital Forensics: Use tools like reverse image search, metadata analysis, and geolocation to verify the authenticity of digital content.

Fact-Checking: Be wary of confirmation bias (believing information that fits your existing worldview). rigorously check every verifiable fact in a story.

Relationships and Boundaries with Sources

The process of selection, cultivation, and maintenance of news sources is ongoing and dynamic, affecting who gets sourced in the news. These relationships are essential as sources give critical information, context and perspective that influence the content, breadth and accuracy of news. But the balance of creating, and coordinating, these relationships does require a certain finesse burdened as it is by journalistic independence/ethical integrity.

Setting Boundaries: Professional journalism involves establishing clear boundaries that, if crossed, may lead to conflicts of interest or the perception that the journalist is too close to a source and can no longer report fairly. Friendly relations foster trust, but may not morph into personal friendships that might favor how information is collected or presented.

Preserving Independence: Independence makes sure that journalists are not swayed or controlled by any one source. That means being upfront with sources about how their information will be treated and not succumbing to pressure for positive coverage or quid pro quo deals.

Understanding Source Motivations: Understanding the reasons behind the motivation a source has for providing information is a vital part of a journalist’s job. Some sources wish to gain recognition, others wish to push forward a particular agenda, while others may want more covert objectives. Understanding these reasons is helpful when assessing the information that has been provided. 

Trust building through respect and professionalism: Respectful, honest, and clear communication fosters trust, encouraging sources to provide accurate and valuable information over time. Being reliable and timely in interactions strengthens these bonds.

Navigating challenges: Journalists may face sources who expect favors or attempt to control narratives. Strong boundaries and ethical standards help journalists withstand these pressures, ensuring stories remain fair and credible.

Link from the blog: Year 2024

https://vartikananda.blogspot.com/search?q=sources+of+news