Much has been made of how CNN-IBN passed off a recorded interaction as a live one, and the channel and anchor in question have done the right thing by apologizing — and with no yes-but qualifications that journalists are wont to use when they mess up, which is very creditable — but the larger issue is that most journalists and editors in this country are pretty careless about the correct attribution of quotes.
Mint editor R. Sukumar explains the purpose of proper attribution: "Quote... unquote". A must-read for media students... and for journalists.
- Also read: Mihir Sharma in The Indian Express on the Face the Nation controversy. Here is CNN-IBN's clarification and apology.
