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How To Become A Go-To Source

I’ve noticed that all my good sources have traits in common that make me think of them first when deadlines are closing in.

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Do a web search and you’ll find endless advice — from decent to total BS — about how to get media attention. There’s less emphasis on a critical part of that aspiration: Being a good source.

As a reporter and editor working in newspapers, magazines, and online spaces for many years, I’ve found good sources are more memorable than awards. I’ve developed long-term relationships with many of them. And I’ve noticed they all have traits in common that make me think of them first when deadlines are closing in.

I started paying closer attention to what makes a good source when I pushed my ABA Journal team years ago to seek more diverse sources for interviews and photos. Women and marginalized lawyers were underrepresented, and I needed at a minimum to see equity in the way we reflected the makeup of the profession we covered. I began auditing the pages of the magazine and kicking stories back to editors and reporters that didn’t meet my diversity expectations.

There’s plenty of discussion about why publications end up quoting older, white men more often than any other group. Wisconsin Public Radio recently acknowledged the problem and is taking corrective steps to diversify its source pool.

For the sake of better storytelling from diverse perspectives, I do what I can to reach out to and rely on experts that, for many reasons, remain under the radar and lesser-known. Yet when news breaks and I need a source right away, it’s hard not to rely on the usual suspects.

For those aiming to be the go-to expert that a reporter thinks of first, I’ve included a few attributes of a good source. Good sources make life easier for reporters juggling multiple stories on tight deadlines.

Good sources are:

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Responsive. Quick to respond to requests for comment or background. The early bird gets the worm. If reporters have the luxury of long lead times, they may wait to hear back from the first people they call or email. Otherwise, the first to respond is likely to be given priority.

Flexible. They are flexible and make themselves available. If you’re playing hard to get, it’s likely that unless you’re already a superstar or a critical piece of a story, the reporter will just move on.

Tolerant. Complainers and second-guessers are the worst. At best they return to reporters asking for unnecessary adjustments, word changes, or quotes. At worst they claim the reporter misquoted or introduced an error. This triggers a set of internal reviews at news outlets and sometimes an enormous amount of work that can create bad feelings about a source. If there is an error of fact or clear misquote, it’s important to get that corrected. But if you don’t like the way you sound and think you could have articulated it better, use that as a lesson learned and move on. If there is an error, be respectful and kind when requesting a correction or clarification.

Understanding. By this, I mean that a source should know at least a little bit about the reporter’s job. Most journalists have professional ethics policies that preclude them from sharing articles in advance or allowing sources to negotiate language. Before an interview, it’s good to understand the reporter’s methods and ground rules. What is “background” for instance? And will the reporter allow you to review or will the reporter repeat back direct quotes?

Supportive. Good sources are grateful for the opportunity and let the reporter — and possibly the reporter’s superiors — know that they appreciate the work that went into a story.

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The best sources:

Are generous. Reporters don’t forget when a source goes out of their way to help make a story happen. That can be helping gather or interpret documents or spend time helping a reporter understand an arcane aspect of the story.

Share. The best sources understand that the reporter isn’t a PR agency. Reporters have wide-ranging beats and assignments. When a source can offer newsworthy tips that don’t directly benefit the source, that source gains credibility.

Sponsor others. The very best sources promote those who don’t get as much ink or air time. They take the time to note others in the field with similar or, importantly, differing perspectives. This should be natural for many lawyers I know who enjoy surrounding themselves with peers who have viewpoints that can be civility debated.

Know when to pass. I can name sources who will be quoted on absolutely anything, even when they have zero experience in a particular subject. This is a disservice, especially to the publication. This also is a perfect opportunity for a go-to source to (see above) sponsor others or be a referral. This is a win, win, win, win. The reporter gets a better source for the topic, the source wins brownie points with the reporter AND the individual they promoted, and the previously unknown source gets a chance to speak.

When legal professionals ask me about how to get quoted, a good pitch is only a part of the equation. Being accommodating and reliable can help build credibility and develop a reputation as a go-to source.

Molly McDonough, a veteran legal affairs journalist, is a producer for the current events show “Legal Talk Today.” She also is a media and content strategist with McDonough Media LLC. McDonough previously served as editor and publisher of the ABA’s flagship magazine, the “ABA Journal.” She writes about access to justice at “A Just Society.”

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