BellaOnline Forums Home and Garden Exotic Pets Spoke on condition of anonymity

When I reported the news I felt it was important to be ethical. I would not report anything that couldn't be named. Heck, I could make a whole bunch of stuff up if I didn't have to name the source. Just about every article I have read lately refers to anonymous sources. The written word is doomed.

That's a very good question, Diana. You would think that *someone* could be quoted as having information on the topic being reported. I suppose an exception would be - what if you were reporting on a mob war / gang war? The only way to get in depth information could be from people who would be slain for talking. That information would be important to share, but you also don't want to risk the lives of your sources.

Of course there will be articles written, when the source has to be protected. I fully support that and have had to do it myself. But, when we�re at the point of political wars between two parties; obviously one newspaper is either republican or democratic and this is sad in itself. They use this protective method to attempt to add more incursion, or significance, or substance to what they want to reveal; and not the actual story.

I mentioned it when I saw it in our local paper, AP inserts, I had to have found 5 or so stories using anonymous sources.