McClatchy’s Washington Bureau establishes no-alter quote policy

The right decision, yet in our times sadly a hard decision for many, from a major newspaper chain:

To our staff and to our readers:

As you are aware, reporters from The New York Times, Washington Post, Bloomberg and others are agreeing to give government sources the right to clear and alter quotes as a prerequisite to granting an interview.

To be clear, it is the bureau’s policy that we do not alter accurate quotes from any source. And to the fullest extent possible, we do not make deals that we will clear quotes as a condition of interviews.

With the government trying to do more of the public’s business in secret, the demands that interviews be conducted off the record is growing. While it puts us at a disadvantage, we should argue strenuously for on-the-record interviews with government officials….

James Asher

Washington Bureau Chief

McClatchy Newspapers

Via McClatchy’s Washington Bureau establishes no-alter quote policy | McClatchy.

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