What you need to know about the secrets of unnamed sources

A Nyeri Town resident buys a copy of the Daily Nation on August 14, 2017. The Nation policy requires that if unnamed sources are used, the reason why they did not want their names revealed should be indicated. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • They may genuinely fear repercussions such as intimidation if their names are revealed.
  • Journalists use a hierarchy of sources. The first is the journalist himself -- when he witnesses or experiences an event.

Was the KCSE exam so hurriedly marked that quality was compromised?

That is one of the questions a story, “Results out in less than a month”, published in the Daily Nation on Thursday on page 11, sought to answer.

The headline of the online version was more pointed: “Quick release of KCSE exam results raises queries on quality.” Knec chairman George Magoha denied the claims.

“We planned our work,” he explained. The journalist, however, reported that interviews with examiners “revealed” that they were “pressurised” and worked abnormal hours.

“An English teacher who spoke to the Nation narrated how they completed marking of the exam last Saturday by putting in extra hours,” he reported.

“We used to mark the examination papers up to 10pm and wake up by 5am so that by 6am we are already back in marking centres.

"Doing the marking at a record time is okay, but the fear is that we are compromising quality since we have to hurry and do it under a lot of pressure to beat the deadline and no one wants to lose their job.”  

SOURCES
The reporter goes on to quote “another examiner” who narrated how marking the scripts went on up to 1am on Saturday.

A bemused reader asked why we write stories about people we do not know.

I said the unnamed sources are anonymous only to the readers.

The reporter knows who those people are. “So why don’t you name them?” he asked.

It’s one of the mysteries of journalism. In real life people rarely tell stories without naming names and it’s important to unravel this mystery because that can help readers to evaluate the credibility of a story.

WITNESSES

Journalists use a hierarchy of sources. The first is the journalist himself -- when he witnesses or experiences an event.

He gives an eyewitness account. If he is well trained and knowledgeable he is his own best source.

The second source is the newsmaker, or the person at the centre of an event.

This is the second best since reporters cannot be everywhere to witness events. In this story, Prof Magoha is such a source.

The third is the person who may have witnessed, participated in, or known about the event.

The unnamed examiners are such sources. However, such sources can also be named.

CREDIBILITY

Similarly, the second hierarchy of sources, such as Prof Magoha, can choose not to be named.

The credibility of the second and third sources depends largely on their motives in speaking to the journalist and the “spin” they want to put on the information.

They can become even less credible if they do not want their names disclosed.

However, there are many reasons why sources may not want to be named.

One is that they want to benefit from hiding behind a cloak of anonymity to say things, including untruths and insults.

FEAR

Another is that they may genuinely fear repercussions such as intimidation if their names are revealed. Or they may simply be publicity shy.

Although unnamed sources can at times be more credible or reliable precisely because they are speaking anonymously without fear of repercussions, such as in the case of whistleblowers, this category of sources is the weakest in the hierarchy of sources.

Ideally, journalists avoid them. They use them only as a last resort when they cannot otherwise get the information.

Unfortunately, some journalists use unnamed sources even when it is unnecessary to do so because it makes their work easier.

POLICY

The Nation editorial policy is that unnamed sources should not be used unless the pursuit of truth will best be served by not naming them or if they requests anonymity.

The policy requires that if unnamed sources are used, the reason why they did not want their names revealed should be indicated.

Next time you read a story with unnamed sources check out for such things to better evaluate it.

Send your complaints to [email protected]. Text or call 0721 989 264.