"Off the record" conversations need approval from both parties to the conversation. You can't just say "don't quote me on this" then reveal something monsterous. The details of anonymity arrangements need to include what information is going to be revealed; how that's going to be ised and why; and how the source is going to be identified.

Anonymity is used to protect the source and to report something of actual interest. Here the source was the story.

http://www.spj.org/ethics-papers-anonymity.asp

http://journalism.nyu.edu/publishing/ethics-handbook/human-s...

> On the record, on background, not for attribution and off the record: These are prearranged agreements between a reporter and a source, which govern how specific information can be used. These deals must be agreed to beforehand, never after. A source can't say something then claim it was "off the record." That's too late. When dealing with individuals who are not experienced in talking with reporters, journalists should make sure ground rules and potential consequences are clear, and then perhaps offer leeway. Of course, if the information isn't integral to the story, a reporter can agree not to use it. If you talk to five journalists, you'll likely get five different definitions for these terms. That's why it's important that a reporter clarify the use of these terms with a source before making any agreements.