Relationships with Sources

Ariel Helwani, a highly experienced reporter for MMAFighting.com, was escorted out of The Forum in Inglewood, Calif., during the UFC 199 and he was banned from all future MMA events. This was all decided after Helwani reported Brock Lesnar would make his return at UFC 200

Helwani told Sports Illustrated, “They said I should have had the ‘professional courtesy’ to clear the news with them before reporting the news … I had confirmed it with multiple sources and it ended up being right. They confirmed it on the broadcast around three hours after I reported it.”

Even though Helwani was right about Lesnar coming back for the UFC 200 and had it confirmed, his directors were not happy that he published his report without running by them first.

When you are a reporter dealing with sources you should keep a professional relationship with them. A good reporter should check in with their sources frequently.  A reporter might get to know some about their source’s family or interests, which could also be important for a story. Reporters should also be transparent with their sources, they should never lie to them.

But just like a friendship, there are boundaries one should not cross. Reporters should not socialize with sources if it does not pertain to work. As a reporter, you will have sources that are experienced with dealing with reporters and maintain a professional relationship and then you will have sources that do not know how to not cross boundaries. The relationship between reporters and their sources, especially sources who provide regular tips, is collaborative. Reporters need stories. Sources want their ideas and words to be heard.

Journalism can sometimes be a hit-and-run business. For example, you get your information from the source, write your story, and then never talk to the source again. But, if you are smart, you would keep in touch with most of your sources because you never know when they can help you with a story.