I'm confused too.
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Which of the following is NOT a type of human source?
Friendly
Intelligent
Hostile
confused
6 answers
I think your answer is B, intelligent. But one would HOPE all sources, friendly or hostile, were reasonably intelligent.
I think the thing journalists look for more than anything, is reliability of information. Confused is not reliable.
http://www.slideshare.net/LaMediamix/journalistic-sources
http://www.slideshare.net/LaMediamix/journalistic-sources
Yes, of course! But some reliable sources are friendly to journalists and some are hostile. Witness controversial issues where the person or organization in question refuses to talk to journalists or fails to respond. The source may be very reliable, but hostile.
Robb, I hope you're reading this. This should be instructive.
Let me give a couple of examples. Bill Cosby, the entertainer, is accused of sex crimes. No one should be more "reliable" to know the truth than he is, but he refuses to discuss the issue with journalists. In another example, in California the gas/electric utility has been very controversial over safety issues in it's gas pipelines. The accusation is that the state commission charged with regulating utilities has been too "cozy" and lenient with the utility. Often the Public Utilities Commission officials refuse to discuss the issue with the press, citing pending litigation or other reasons. Those are hostile sources, although they SHOULD be quite reliable or credible in that they have the information sought.
And the word "reliable" is problematic.
Liars may be quite reliable to state their cases to journalists, but are they credible? I prefer the word "credible."
Let me give a couple of examples. Bill Cosby, the entertainer, is accused of sex crimes. No one should be more "reliable" to know the truth than he is, but he refuses to discuss the issue with journalists. In another example, in California the gas/electric utility has been very controversial over safety issues in it's gas pipelines. The accusation is that the state commission charged with regulating utilities has been too "cozy" and lenient with the utility. Often the Public Utilities Commission officials refuse to discuss the issue with the press, citing pending litigation or other reasons. Those are hostile sources, although they SHOULD be quite reliable or credible in that they have the information sought.
And the word "reliable" is problematic.
Liars may be quite reliable to state their cases to journalists, but are they credible? I prefer the word "credible."
Hmmm. I read the original post with four choices, confused is one of the four. I think others have read it as three choices, with "confused" as a posters signature.
Now I am confused.
bob
Now I am confused.
bob