Anonymous media sources & Sentiments: A case study of Slovenian Newspapers

Abstract

Although various cases of inappropriate use of anonymous news sources have shaken journalistic practice in the past and encouraged media organizations to act and tighten editorial policies, they remain at the center of journalistic practice. In times of rising demands from media consumers for increased transparency in media content and journalism grounded on ethical principles, the issue of anonymous sources presents an important stage. In our study, we conducted content analysis on four Slovenian daily newspapers which held the largest readership share, during the period from October 1 to December 31, 2021, to explore the extent of the use of anonymous sources of information and how they are employed. In addition, we analyzed the relationship between the use of anonymous sources and various topics of the news stories, the type and sentiment of information. It was found that information from anonymous sources is often of a primary type and neutral in sentiment. According to our research, the sentiment of anonymous information is not related to the content. The connection between the topic of the news story and the type of anonymous information was recognized in the case of reporting on the public sector. Furthermore, articles contained minimal specific descriptions about the sources, providing very limited information about their use. Our study revealed an exceptionally low share of provided explanation on the approval of anonymity for media consumers with very general and generic reasons.