Dealing With Problem Sources

Is it ever okay to let a source review a story?

On Sept. 11,  2000, Boston-area editors met at Trattoria Il Panino in the Financial District to discuss some of the challenges we face in our jobs and learn more about what ASBPE has to offer.

Problem Sources

The hot topic at the table was sending out stories to sources for prepublication review. The questions: Is it ever okay to let a source review a story? If so, when? And what do you do when a source wants to change his quotes or rewrite your story?

Most of the editors present agreed that it was acceptable to let a source review a story for accuracy, especially if the story covers highly technical material. One dissenting editor did argue that writers ought to know their subject well enough to make such a review unnecessary. Another added that sources should see only the portion of the article that contains their quotes; there's no need for them to see the rest of the story, in his opinion.

Editors had several techniques for forestalling the overzealous source who is itching to rewrite a magazine piece:

  • When you send the story out for review, include a written policy making it clear the review is for accuracy only. State that the magazine staff reserves final editing rights.

  • Ask the source how he or she would feel if they knew that one of their competitors had been allowed to make similar changes to the story's content. When it's put to them this way, they'll usually understand.

  • Use fact checkers. This way, the source won't see even a partial copy of a manuscript. This should lessen his or her temptation to try to change copy.

  • If you are getting pressure from your sales department to use the source's changes, it may help to cite a code of editorial ethics from ASBPE or another publishing group. (ASBPE's Code of Preferred Editorial Practices addresses the topic of previewing stories in Section VI., Item 9.)

 

 

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