Unnamed sources affect a story’s credibility: MMPZ

 By Tinashe Clive Mtumazhi

The Media Monitoring Project of Zimbabwe (MMPZ) expressed that journalists should not abuse their right of not revealing sources of information as it affects credibility of a story.

MMPZ Head of Researches and Monitoring Edson Madondo said in a lecture with Great Zimbabwe University (GZU) media students that stories without sources of information revealed are not credible especially those which are not even sensitive.

“Journalists should avoid an attitude of writing stories with anonymous sources especially on stories known to have no bad repercussions to the source,” he said.

Madondo said this in response to stories where a political commentator comments and s/he is said to have refused to reveal her or his name in cases where it would be necessary.

He said doing such a thing is an abuse the freedom to protect news sources and would result in the in the production of a biased news stories especially political news.

 “Some journalists deliberately protect their sources where it is not necessary as a result the story will remain unbalanced,” said Madondo.

He then encouraged participants to reveal sources whenever it is necessary to enhance the credibility of their stories.

MMPZ normally does an analysis on how the mainstream media cover news.

It is a basic right of a journalist to protect their sources of information as it is the case worldwide and they are not forced to reveal their sources of information by any one.