AUSTIN, Texas — Whether it’s from the internet, a viewer or reader, or a phone call, reporters are always looking for information that’s relevant to you.
Reporters do their best to attribute that information to its source.
"Certainly, when you don't know the source, I'm always a little bit cautious," said Talia Stroud, the director of the Center for Media Engagement at the University of Texas at Austin.
That’s why reporters do their best to attribute information.
Sometimes, you might hear a report that’s attributed to “multiple sources.” But what does that mean?
"Usually when they're saying multiple sources, they're trying to indicate to you that we have talked to multiple people who have verified that this is, in fact, what's happening," Stroud said.
There’s a very careful vetting process that goes on behind the scenes in most legitimate news organizations before something is reported from "sources."
"It's not one person making that decision. It's going to go through several, several chains of management who are going to say, 'We are going to do this story and we're going to do it because it's so important for the public to know this information that we feel like we have to put this out there,'" said Gina Masullo, the associate director of the Center for Media Engagement.
Information may also come from:
- A statement
- A press conference
- Official documents
If you’re ever curious about the source of a fact, you can always reach out to the reporter or news organization and ask where the information came from.
We want to hear from you with your questions about how news is gathered and then reported to you. Text KVUE at 512-459-9442 or email bnewberry@kvue.com.
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