Types of Information Sources

Types of Information Sources

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

PRIMARY: These sources provide firsthand information, either because they are the protagonists of the facts or because they were present at the events.

SECONDARY: These sources provide information about something specific based on what they learned by means other than starring in or witnessing the facts they know.

For some, a secondary source never constitutes a story by itself because its information comes, in fact, from primary sources. For others, it may provide the first clue to follow a story.

EXAMPLE: It is more likely to know the outcome of a meeting between two ministers (both can be consulted) than the result of a meeting between the President and one of his ministers. The President is not necessarily a primary source for the outcome of that specific meeting unless they provide the information directly.

Permanent vs. Circumstantial Sources

PERMANENT: These are sources that are always available to provide timely and specific information on particular issues.

Sources usually considered permanent include entities, institutions, and NGOs. Sources that specialize in specific issues, such as the environment, for example, are always able to provide important data to a journalist for their work.

CIRCUMSTANTIAL: A source is considered circumstantial, usually a person, but institutions, organizations, and NGOs can also become one. They are so named because they provide factual information about specific events they witnessed or staged, or because the matter on which a notice or any other journalistic work relates requires the specialist intervention of a person or entity with knowledge of the subject.

EXAMPLE: Economic indicators vs. specialists who are used to explain the figures.

Exclusive vs. Shared Sources

EXCLUSIVE: These sources provide information only to one journalist (and therefore only one media outlet).

SHARED: These sources provide the same information to multiple journalists or media outlets. They are generally news agencies, press offices, public statements, and so on.

EXAMPLES:

• Exclusive: Information like that from Condor Rojas or Gemita Well, or documents accessed through personal research or good fortune by the journalist.
• Shared: Press conferences, press releases, and conversations that are sometimes held off the record with all the media.

Open vs. Closed Sources

OPEN: These are sources that are readily available and always willing to give information.

CLOSED: These are sources where, for various reasons, access is restricted.

It is important to understand that governments have a tendency to think everything is restricted or classified, unless explicitly stated otherwise.

EXAMPLES:

• Open: Press conferences, events, public documents, and so on.
• Closed: Judges, business executives, prosecutors.

Documentary Sources

DOCUMENTARY: These include books, theses, studies, and other documents that assist in the development of a story. This refers not only to written documents but also pictures, videos, emails, and so on. All (or almost everything) is likely to become a documentary source, from a diary to a collection of toy soldiers or a blog.