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‘If you don’t want to read Politico, that’s fine’
Politico’s Martin defends use of unnamed sources: ‘If you don’t want to read Politico, that’s fine’
The use of unnamed sources in political news stories has always been a touchy subject, but Politico has found a solution for readers who want more accountability than anonymity can provide: stop reading Politico.
On Sunday’s broadcast of CNN’s “Reliable Sources,” Politico reporter Jonathan Martin explained the justification for citing in a recent story unnamed Republican operatives who were supposedly unhappy with Mitt Romney’s choice of Paul Ryan as his running mate.
“We were candid about the sourcing on that, as you mentioned, Howie, and basically say to our readers, ‘Look, folks don’t want to put their names [on] the charges,’” Martin said. “If you don’t want to read Politico, that’s fine. But that is a conversation happening in the political community. We as reporter want to capture that conversation. The challenge for us is trying to do so in a way that you can get it in print, but you respect people who don’t want to have their names used, it’s a question of do you not report what’s happening right now in the political operative community or do it in a way that you have to do a lot of blind quotes? We choose the chose the latter, because it’s such a hot issue going on right now.”
Steve Roberts, a George Washington University professor, said he had a problem with that style of reporting, which he said was exemplified by a 2011 Politico story involving allegations of sexual harassment against then-presidential candidate Herman Cain.
“I do have a problem with that,” Roberts said. “Because, you go back to the Politico stories about Herman Cain, [they] were a very good example of a lot of blind quotes that were not backed up with sources, specific sources. And I understand the point. You want to get into the paper the buzz.”
Martin countered that the allegations proved credible in the long run. Roberts wasn’t convinced.
“Yeah, eventually — eventually, but not on the day it came out,” Roberts said. “I do have a problem with stories like this that have unnamed sources. I gave that Politico story to my ethics class, and they gave it about a ‘D.’”
Anonymous
August 20th, 2012
OK, I’ll stop reading that piece of crap
Team TEA
August 20th, 2012
Oh I get it: “Republican operatives” = “Democrat infiltrators”
I never read Politico anyway
Maudie N Mandeville
August 20th, 2012
Anonymous sources starting with Rino losers like John McCain?
BTW, multiple anonymous sources have stepped forward with proof that Politico makes up their stories. With proof!!
RosalindJ
August 20th, 2012
Stop reading Politico? Not a problem, since I never did. Never will, since they engaged so adroitly in the Herman Cain whispering campaign.
I do believe they hold themselves in an unearned lofty regard. The antiquated term for their efforts is yellow journalism.
Snowball the Sourpuss
August 20th, 2012
Unnamed sources reveal that Jonathan Martin, while dressed up as Shirley Temple, was caught schtuping the neigbors goat.
simply enraged
August 20th, 2012
Another so far safe refuge for the “journolist” scum. As for the story – even if it is true or has ANY basis in fact, who the Hell cares? Republican operatives brought us all those RINOs and continue to “reach across the aisle” (reach around?) to “work” with (d)s to ensure that we serve ever larger government.
muddjuice
August 20th, 2012
Don’t read politico. Never will.
Journalism is dead. You can’t print stories without facts and named sources. If you do, it’s called “gossip”…..
RosalindJ
August 20th, 2012
Via Jonah Goldberg, this apparently is Politico’s idea of contemporaneous relevant reporting:
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/314444/congressman-forgot-bathing-suit-lake-gennesaret-jonah-goldberg
Another antiquated but charming term: scandal sheet. Do they employ Perez Hilton too?
exceller
August 20th, 2012
Put me down for never reading politico. after the last election I could see what their purpose was. Out of here, gone, will never look at it again.
Toaster
August 20th, 2012
I haven’t read PolitiHo in quite a while. It became very obvious that Ben Smith was a Democrat hack trying to pass himself off as a neutral journalist when he was writing for PolitiHo. The fact that the editors would let such an obvious hack write the things that he did indicated that overall they were a Democrat sycophant hack outfit much like the alphabet TV networks in the MSM.
Poor ethical standards and sourcing, big surprise. Maybe his “source” is the same person who gave Dan Rather G.W Bush’s National Guard medical records.
Corona
August 20th, 2012
Who’s head of staff? Harry Reid? I solved the Politico problem 4 years ago. I never read it.
muddjuice
August 20th, 2012
@ RosalindJ
“Do they employ Perez Hilton too?”
Exactly. Wait, who’s Perez Hilton? Is she related to Paris Hilton?
AbigailAdams
August 20th, 2012
Journalism classes still have a section on ethics? How quaint.
serfer62
August 20th, 2012
I read poltical until it was just too silly
Anonymous
August 20th, 2012
By the same logic, any restaurant that serves these ASSWIPES should serve them rat poison. Hey, they don’t have to choose to eat it.
Stranded in Sonoma
August 20th, 2012
@RosalindJ — No, I think they employ Paris Hilton.