TechCrunch doesn’t understand ‘off the record’

Nelson’s weblog on When bloggers aren’t journalists. Or, how TechCrunch doesn’t understand ‘off the record.’

To help the TechCrunch gang, here’s journalistic sourcing at Wikipedia:

• "On-the-record": all that is said can be quoted and attributed.
• "Unattributable": what is said can be reported but not attributed. [Actually, this is almost always called "On background."]
• "Off-the-record": the information is provided to inform a decision or provide a confidential explanation, not for publication.

Ragan at Deep Background confirms. And the Associated Press Managing Editors agrees:

On the record. The information can be used with no caveats, quoting the source by name.

Off the record. The information cannot be used for publication.

Background. The information can be published but only with
the conditions set forth by the source. Generally, the sources do not
want their names published but will agree to a description of their
position.  AP reporters should object vigorously when a source wants to
brief a group of reporters on background and try to persuade the source
to put the briefing on the record. These background briefings have
become routine in many venues, especially with government officials.

Deep background. The information can be used but without
attribution. The source does not want to be identified in any way, even
on condition of anonymity.

Later: TechCrunch blows it again.

JD Lasica, founder of Inside Social Media, is also a fiction author and the co-founder of the cruise discovery engine Cruiseable. See his About page, contact JD or follow him on Twitter.