You look at the “Principles of Ethical Journalism”. They strive for accuracy and fairness. They're independent and transparent. They keep their promises. They respect diversity and they are accountable.
That keeps them from just printing items out of thin air, or if it is speculation, from using language and guiding...when clearly fact is the case. In this case, the language tells us what we need to know.
Mr. Chair, I would submit that the reporter knew somebody.