Being a source
Being a source sounds a little intimidating, but it’s not as scary as it might sound. Anyone who shares information with The Gateway, whether that is through an email or in an interview, is considered a source. Sources are integral to much of The Gateway’s reporting. Anyone can be a source, whether you’re a student, a staff member, or have no connection to the University of Alberta at all.
It’s important to know that if you decide to be a source for The Gateway, information given to The Gateway in an email or in an interview may be used in an article, unless otherwise specified. That also means it will remain on the public record indefinitely. We do not change or unpublish articles after they have been published except in exceptional circumstances. You can read our unpublishing policy here.
News Tips
If you have relevant information about a story, please email one of our editors. Their contact information can be found here.
If you don’t feel comfortable emailing an editor directly, you can also fill out this tip form. You can choose whether you would like to be anonymous or not, or if you are comfortable with The Gateway contacting you. Any information shared in this form may be used for the purpose of an article, but your personal information will not be shared publicly unless you give The Gateway permission to. The Gateway cannot guarantee an article will be written on every tip, but we will make efforts to verify the information if it is deemed appropriate by our editorial staff.
FAQs
Here’s a FAQ to answer some common questions, but you are always free to contact a staff member if you have further questions.
How will I be identified in a story if I’m a source?
You’ll typically be identified by your first and last name, as well as your relationship to the University of Alberta (year, degree, position) if applicable. The interviewer should ask for your pronouns and will use the correct pronouns in the article.
Can I be anonymous?
The Gateway tries to keep the amount of sources we grant anonymity to to a minimum. We typically only grant anonymity to a source if it could impact their safety or livelihood. In some cases, we may use only your first name or use a different name to identify you in an article. The reason for anonymity is usually noted in the article for the reader’s context. You can read our confidentiality policy here.
It’s important to note that even if you are granted anonymity in an article, the writer and editors working in the story will know your identity. That information will not be shared outside of the staff directly involved with the story.
If you are only comfortable with being a source on the condition of anonymity, you should ask the author or an editor if you will be granted anonymity before agreeing to share any information or do an interview.
What does “on-the-record” and “off-the-record” mean?
On-the-record refers to when a conversation can be used in an article. This means the author can directly quote you and attribute information to you. Interviews are assumed to be on-the-record unless otherwise discussed and agreed upon by both the reporter and interviewee.
Off-the-record is when a conversation may not be used to take quotes from or attribute the information to the source in the article or shared in any way. In an off-the-record conversation, a reporter may still take notes and record for the purpose of their own records, but those notes and recording and its content won’t be shared publicly. Even though the information you share off-the-record cannot be used in the article or shared with anyone else, the information can still be useful for the reporter to guide their search for more information and other sources and help them better understand an issue.
There is also a third option: on-background. Speaking to a reporter on-background means that the reporter can use the information you share in the article but cannot quote you or attribute the information to you. Again, even if the information isn’t used in an article, it can be useful for a reporter.
It’s important to specify that a conversation or parts of a conversation are off-the-record or on-background. Otherwise a reporter will assume the information you are sharing is on-the-record.
Will the interview be recorded?
Yes, it is standard practice for our writers to record interviews for accuracy and fact-checking purposes. Recording an interview helps ensure our quotes are accurate and nothing is forgotten about. The recording itself will not be published or shared with readers.
After the interview, it is standard practice for authors to keep the recording for future reference in case there is a correction that comes up later. The recording will not be used or shared for any other purpose than fact-checking.
Can I see the questions ahead of the interview?
No, we do not share the questions with sources ahead of an interview. Reporters may share with you the topics they would like to talk about in the interview to allow you to prepare. In some cases, questions may be emailed to a source if they are unavailable to do a live interview.
I don’t feel comfortable answering a question or discussing a topic in an interview, what can I do?
If there’s ever a question or topic you don’t feel comfortable answering, simply tell the interviewer that and they will respect your decision. You are under no obligation to answer questions that make you feel uncomfortable or unsafe. If you do decide to answer a question that is particularly sensitive for you, you can let the interviewer know and take your time answering.
Can I see the draft of the article before it is published?
No, we do not show our sources the draft of an article before it is published. This is because we do not want sources interfering with the editorial decisions and process. If there is something you are particularly nervous about being used in the article, you can talk to the author or an editor about it. In some cases, the author or editors may reach out to the source to check over facts, spelling, or other details of a story to ensure we are reporting on what the source has said as accurately as possible.
I noticed an error in an article or believe I was misquoted, how do I get it fixed?
You can email the Editor-in-Chief at [email protected] to ask for a correction. We will review and fact-check the error. If we find a factual error, we will make the necessary correction and make a note at the bottom of the article of when the article was corrected and what was corrected. It’s important to note that we cannot issue corrections for a disagreement over an opinion or information shared by another source or, in the case of an opinion column, the author’s opinion.