In the following passage, some of the words have been left out. Read the passage carefully and select the correct answer for the given blank out of the four alternatives. 
Since the justification for the demand of anonymity and confidentiality is______(1)________ questioned by reporters, and since the deals _____(2)_______ routinely between reporter and privileged source to grant confidential _______(3)_________ are rarely monitored and supervised properly within the newsroom, the misuse of sources by journalists, and what is ________(4)____________ damaging, the misuse of journalists and the news media by privileged sources_________(5)___________ epidemic proportions.