reporting etiquette

Just to preface, there's a little bit of journalism ranting ahead.

I think I'm a relatively trusting person. Sometimes I'll leave my car unlocked if I'm running to the curb to return movies or running in my house to grab something. I generally will talk to people in public.

Today I was out reporting at local grocery stores, working on a story about "grocery line etiquette" - the dos and don'ts in the checkout line and in the aisle. A fun little story, nothing serious.

I walked up to a lady and very politely told her, after apologizing for interrupting her shopping, that I was a reporter with The Reading Eagle, that I was talking to customers today - and explained my story. Would she have a few extra moments to answer some questions? She proceeds to hesitantly answer my questions, and asks if we can walk and talk. Sure, I say.

So, she's nice, answers my questions, gives me some pretty good quotes actually, "self checkout is a beauty" "I really like to get in and get out as quickly as possible" "sometimes people just aren't very considerate of those around them - stopping and blocking the whole aisle" before I ask for her name. She tells me her first name, Bernice, and then says, "you can just call me Bernice B." I pause, and in the most polite way possible, tell her that unfortunately, I can't use anything we talked about unless I can publish her whole name.

She then insists to see some ID. Really? I can count on my hand the number of times I've been asked for a press pass and they've either been when I was A) holding a camera in my hand or B) asking for much more consequential information than "do you prefer paper or plastic?"

Of course, with my luck, I don't have my press pass on me, so I lose the whole interview.

Here's my question: Who else COULD I have been? What kind of criminal would pose as a reporter asking about your shopping habits? Who would make that up, and furthermore, for what purpose? I'm wearing a gray cotton skirt from the Gap and ballet flats. I'm not exactly intimidating.

Also, if a reporter identifies herself and proceeds to WRITE DOWN what you say - it's a safe bet you're being quoted. I guess I just thought this was assumed.

My other issue is that people like this women are probably the same ones who call newspapers untrustworthy and not credible. I guarantee if she had read that story with "Anonymous shopper" quoted, she'd have some criticism for the validity of The Reading Eagle.

I didn't understand that at all. Maybe I'm just too trusting.