Frank Rich links like a pro

The Nieman Journalism Lab has a great post up looking at the linking habits of Frank Rich. And for comparison, the corresponding non-linking habits of his peers.

Why does Frank Rich wield the link so frequently?

Rich says his linking is as much about backing up his argument as it is about adding background. If one’s argument is only as good as one’s facts, Rich sends you to his facts. “Now, sometimes it’s unlinkable material,” he says. “But why not give the reader, if he or she wants to, the opportunity to see the sources, or a source, when it’s available? It helps bulletproof the column, because if they say ‘He must be making that up,’ they can look and see — here’s the source, take a look and judge it for yourself….If I’m citing a figure, at the most banal level, from the Labor Department or a poll or an economic report, [why not] link to the whole document it comes from?”

Those are the words of a smart columnist who gets the web as a medium. The internet allows readers to choose from literally thousands of sources for their news and opinion, and you can bet they’re going to go to the most compelling personalities and the best reading experiences.

If you were reading, wouldn’t you want links?