As a reporter, the last thing you need is to publish fake news. Therefore, you need to ensure that your sources are credible and trusted. Also, it is ethical that you verify all stories or information before publishing.
No doubt, even the most credible sources can also dish out fake news sometimes. But from time immemorial, some basic sources have always produced reliable information for reporters.
There are numerous sources to get information, but not must be trusted. Check out the most reliable sources to get information as a reporter.
Primary Source
The primary source is the person that is at the center of the issue. That is the person who the issue affects the most or who has direct information of what transpired. For instance, it could be a man who fell from a plane 1,000 meters above and lived to tell the tale. It would be wrong to visit neighbors to get details about such an event when the person at the center of it all is still alive and well.
However, that the person is at the center of the event doesn’t also mean that their version of the event is true or fair. A lot of people want to make the news, therefore they would cook up an interesting story. So after getting data from the primary source, then you can do some fact findings from some people who may have an idea of what transpired.
Nonetheless, ensure that you don’t publish a defamatory statement no matter how true it may seem from the primary source.
Written Sources
Also, not every primary source must be spoken. Some primary sources can also be written. Make sure that the content was written by a reliable source. However, written sources are better especially if you have a copy of the content. That way, you can quote from the written document and nobody will say it came from you assuming it’s not true.
Also, do some fact findings too because not all written content is true. Besides, with computers everywhere, someone can just sit somewhere and type content and send it as if it was true.
Reporters
Another way to get reliable and credible information is from your fellow reporters. No reporter would want to mislead the other. However, verifying the source is still important because your fellow reporters could also be fed with wrong and untrue information.
The Internet
The internet is the easiest way to get information but they are not always reliable. You must go the extra mile to ensure that the information gotten from the internet is credible and true. Apart from verifying from other sources on the internet, you need to reach out to the primary source too to ensure that the information from the internet is true.
Summary
Nowadays, most reporters rely solely on the internet to get data. For effective reporting, you need to verify your data from all these sources before you publish the story. For credible and authentic news visit World News Times.