Anonymous Sources

Christopher Koch has a terrific article on the Capability Maturity Model (CMM) appraisal process in CIO. I will be posting more about it later today, but for now I want to talk about anonymous sources. His article begins with serious allegations of bribery and fraud; but there are no named sources. The is very troubling in an otherwise excellent article.

To any newsmaker, or aspiring newsmaker, who chances upon this post, never be an anonymous source. Just because you see it everyday in your hometown newspaper doesn’t make it right.

To my fellow flaks, whatever advantages we gain for our clients by pressuring reporters to keep names off the record, we lose far more by contributing to a media climate where anonymous accusations can thrive. Let us use our collective power to put an end to this pernicious practice.

If we are to have any sort of honest dialog in this country we need to learn to speak openly. From my article on Do-It-Yourself PR for Technology Companies in The Capitol Image:

Do not speak off the record. Reporters hate that. Reporters are right. If you cannot go on the record with a comment, that is a clue that it should remain unsaid. Anonymous sources have done our country incalculable damage. Do not be part of it.

Al Neuharth has more.