[kergonath]

> Not only WP: An increasing amount of articles just cite "sources say" or "an unnamed U.S. intelligence official says".

Giving indications about the source is important for the reader to evaluate its seriousness. Not giving too much information is important to keep your source long term, and to get others (nobody is going to talk to a journalist know to expose their sources). Of course this depends on journalists being reasonably truthful otherwise the whole thing has no value. This is why reputation is critical and serious journals sack their journalists when they find out they lied.

What is the alternative? It is also very easy to make up a quote, attributing it to someone who’s never said anything like it or just make up a name.