Sure, some journalists use anonymous sources just because they’re lazy and I think editors ought to insist on more precise identification even if they remain anonymous.
Meaning of the quote
Some journalists use anonymous sources, which means they don't say who the source is, just because it's easier for them. But Bradlee, who was an editor, thinks that editors should make journalists be more specific about who their sources are, even if the sources want to remain anonymous.
About Ben Bradlee
Ben Bradlee was a legendary American journalist who served as the executive editor of The Washington Post from 1965 to 1991. He was a key figure in the publication of the Pentagon Papers and the Watergate scandal, and he continued to be involved with the Post even after his retirement, advocating for education and the study of history.
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More quotes from Ben Bradlee
The really tough thing would have been to decide to take Woodward and Bernstein off the story. They were carrying the coal for us – in that their stories were right.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
Sure, some journalists use anonymous sources just because they’re lazy and I think editors ought to insist on more precise identification even if they remain anonymous.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
It took us about a day and a half to find out what had gone wrong.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
If an investigative reporter finds out that someone has been robbing the store, that may be “gotcha” journalism, but it’s also good journalism.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
They cut about seven minutes from that broadcast, but it was still vital to the story’s momentum.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
We were right about the slush fund. But Sloan did not testify about it to the Grand Jury.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
Maybe some of today’s papers have too many ‘feel-good’ features, but there is a lot of good news out there.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
I must be out of it, but I don’t know any good journalists who have excused Clinton’s problems.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
I think he had a strange, passionate devotion to the truth and a horror at what he saw going on.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
I give Cronkite a whole lot of credit.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
The Nixon administration really put a lot of pressure on CBS not to run the second broadcast.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
They certainly did. They tried to make her look like a “nut case” and they succeeded to some extent.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
We made only one real mistake. And even then we were right.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
There have been as many investigative reporters on this newspaper working on Clinton’s many problems as I can remember there were working on Watergate.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
You never monkey with the truth.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
The champagne was flowing like the Potomac in flood.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
I never believed that Nixon could fully resurrect himself. And the proof of that was in the obits.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991
The biggest difference between Kennedy and Nixon, as far as the press is concerned, is simply this: Jack Kennedy really liked newspaper people and he really enjoyed sparring with journalists.
executive editor of The Washington Post from 1968 to 1991