Anonymity Quote by Jacob Weisberg
““As an editor, you develop a B.S. meter—an internal warning system that signals caution about journalism that doesn't feel trustworthy. Sometimes it's a quote or incident that's too perfect —a feeling I always had when reading stories by Stephen Glass in the New Republic. Sometimes it's too many errors of fact, the overuse of anonymous sources, or signs that a reporter hasn't dealt fairly with people or evidence. And sometimes it's a combination of flaws that produces a ring of falsity, the whiff of a bad egg. There's no journalist who sets off my bullshit alarm like Ron Suskind.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Bullshit Alarm, The Atlantic, 2016
Describes an internal gauge for detecting untrustworthy journalism.
In simple terms: A personal sense for spotting false reporting.
Key Takeaway
Heed your editorial instincts.
Themes
journalism
trust
ethics
Mood
critical
analytical
Type
media criticism
instructional
When to use this quote
- news consumption
- media literacy
- editorial standards
Key Concepts
bullshit alarm
fact‑checking
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you train your own bullshit alarm?
- What signs indicate unreliable sources?
A Different Perspective
May be subjective; not all errors are obvious.
