Use of Unnamed Sources

We seek to identify, in all instances, the people we interview and rely on for information in our stories. In rare instances, we may choose to withhold the identity of a person involved in a story when the information they provide is in the public interest, cannot be obtained otherwise, and there is a compelling reason to believe the source might suffer negative consequences, such as job loss or the revelation of deeply personal information, if identified. Editors must approve all uses of unnamed sources.

InvestigateWest's guidelines on the use of unnamed sources:

• Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible about a source’s reliability.
• Always question a source’s motives before promising anonymity. Clarify the conditions attached to any promise made in exchange for information. Keep promises.
• Direct quotes from anonymous sources should be used rarely, and only when such quotes are pivotal to the story.
• At least one editor must know the specific identity of any anonymous source. This does not reflect a lack of trust between editor and reporter; it’s simply part of our diligence in this sensitive area. The reporter should routinely offer this information, or the story editor should ask.

When we attribute information to an unnamed source, we will be as transparent as possible in characterizing the source in the published story — indicating as much as we can about the source’s basis of knowledge and relationship to the subject, and clearly stating why we granted them anonymity.