A content analysis of the use of confidential sources in 2006 by Time and Newsweek

This study presented a content analysis of the use of confidential sources by journalists from Time and Newsweek in 2006. The results of the content analysis were then compared to studies conducted by Hugh M. Culbertson in 1976 and Tim K. Wulfemeyer in 1985 of the same newsmagazines. The content analysis looked at the types of confidential sources being used, what stories contained confidential sources and the descriptors used to describe the sources to readers. The study shows evidence that use of confidential sources by journalists has decreased over time