The 'Act Like You Already Know' Reporting Method
Build a working theory, then let sources confirm it for you.
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Time to result
- ~weeks to results
- Steps
- 5
- Confidence
- 70%
Kara Swisher's signature reporting technique involves assembling a plausible hypothesis from pattern knowledge of a subject's habits or an acquirer's tastes, then approaching sources as if she already had the story confirmed. Because sources believe she already knows, they either correct small details or unknowingly confirm the whole thing. This method turns thin scraps of information — a vague tip, a rumor — into scoops by combining background research with confident, specific questioning rather than open-ended fishing.
Origin
Refined over years of covering the internet at the Wall Street Journal and All Things D, where Kara built deep pattern knowledge of investors, acquirers, and executives.
Core principles
- 01Sources reveal more to someone who appears already informed.
- 02A well-reasoned hypothesis, built from pattern knowledge, is often treated as fact.
- 03Confidence plus specificity lowers a source's guard.
How to run it
- 1
Gather Background Signals
Collect any tip, rumor, or fragment of information available, however vague.
- 2
Map the Likely Players
List who would plausibly be involved based on known incentives, history, or tastes — e.g., an acquirer's past deal patterns.
- 3
Build a Ranked Hypothesis List
Rank candidates by likelihood using your pattern knowledge of the players involved.
- 4
Approach Sources as an Insider
Call contacts and phrase questions assuming you already know the answer, rather than asking open-ended questions.
Pro tip Use casual, confident phrasing like 'so, who's buying you?' rather than open-ended questions.
Watch out This only works if your background research is genuinely strong — bluffing without homework destroys credibility.
- 5
Let Them Confirm or Correct
Allow the source's reaction or clarifying details to validate or refine your theory in real time.
In the wild
With only a vague tip that 'a digital content company' was selling to Yahoo for a billion dollars, Kara built a ranked list of likely targets based on Marissa Mayer's known tastes, then called Tumblr investors acting as if she already knew the deal.
→ The investor accidentally confirmed the deal outright, and Kara broke the story.
Common mistakes
Asking Open-Ended Questions
Vague questions let sources dodge; specific, confident assumptions force a real reaction that either confirms or corrects your theory.
Is it for you?
Best for
Journalists, investigators, and dealmakers piecing together stories or negotiations from limited initial information.
Not ideal for
Situations requiring fully transparent, non-manipulative information gathering.
From the transcript
“I made a list, and I was like, this is what they would buy, this is what they'd be interested in, this is what I…”
From the episode
Recode (with Kara Swisher)
Kara Swisher