When reporters talk about protecting their sources, it isn’t always about protecting a source’s identity. Some sources are prepared to go public. Others may have already shed their anonymity before a journalist gets in touch with them. But they all still need to be supported and safeguarded as their stories are brought to light.
“I try to ensure there are no surprises for them,” says Harry Davies, a Guardian investigations correspondent. “You have to prepare them for the exposure and talk them through what it will mean.”
