What does corroboration mean in journalism?

• A. Repeating the same claim from one source
• B. Quoting unofficial blogs
• C. Verifying only the headline
• D. Getting independent confirmation from multiple sources; increases reliability

Answer: (D)

Corroboration in journalism means obtaining independent confirmation from multiple sources before reporting a fact. This strengthens accuracy because it reduces reliance on a single account that might be mistaken or biased. The process involves verifying details—what happened, when, where, who was involved, and how quotes are presented—across credible sources that aren’t connected to each other. Independence matters because the sources should provide separate perspectives or evidence; when several credible sources confirm a detail, it becomes much more trustworthy to publish. So, corroboration is about validating information through multiple independent verifications, which increases reliability. Options that rely on repeating one source, citing unofficial blogs, or just checking the headline don’t provide that robust confirmation.