Federal Shield Law
Over the past year, journalists, journalism organizations
and media lawyers have endorsed the idea of a federal shield law to protect
journalists working with anonymous sources and legislation has been proposed
in Congress to create such a law. With the imprisonment of New York Times
reporter Judith Miller, the pressure for a shield law has increased.
Here is a list of resources IRE has created to help its members keep up
with the issue with information on the proposed law, debate and those who
support and oppose the idea. IRE has endorsed
the idea of such a law, but also expressed some concerns about the direction
a law might take.
Visit The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press' home
page for a live clock showing how long reporter Judith Miller
has been in jail.
Video from C-SPAN
Senate
Hearing on Journalist Sources
The Senate Judiciary Cmte. holds a hearing on legislation regarding the
confidentiality of journalist sources. Dep. Atty. Gen. James Comey testifies,
along with Time magazine White House Correspondent Matthew Cooper and Time
Editor-in-Chief Norman Pearlstine, among others.
(July 20, 2005; 2 hr. 25 min.)
Testimony and member statements from hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on “Reporters’ Privilege Legislation: Issues and Implications” (July 20, 2005)
The Department of Justice's Deputy Attorney General James Comey Jr. was originally scheduled to testify in the case but canceled. His planned testimony was released in advance.
Reporters' Shield Law Filed in House (HR 851: The
Free Flow of Information Act of 2005)
Section-by-Section Analysis, Prepared by Newspaper Association
of America
American City Business Journals
American Federation of Television & Radio Artists (AFTRA)
American Society of Magazine Editors
American Society of Newspaper Editors
Asian American Journalists Association
Association of American Publishers
California Broadcasters Association
California First Amendment Coalition
Colorado Broadcasters Association
Committee to Protect Journalists
Hachette Filipacchi Media U.S., Inc.
Illinois News Broadcasters Association
Indiana Broadcasters Association
Investigative Reporters and Editors
Magazine Publishers of America
National Association of Black Journalists
National Association of Hispanic Journalists
NAHJ Outraged by Imprisonment of New York Times Reporter Judith Miller
NAHJ Calls Taricani Conviction An Attack Against Journalists' First Amendment Rights
National Federation of Press Women (pdf of their statement)
National Newspaper Association
National
Press Photographers Association
National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Newspaper Association of America
Online Publishers Association
Post Newsweek Stations, Inc.
Radio-Television News Directors Association
Supreme Court Decision Underscores Need for Federal Shield Law
RTNDA Decries Sentencing of Reporter Judith Miller to Jail Term
RTNDA Supports Legislators’ Call for Federal Shield Law
Reporters
Committee for Freedom of the Press
Information about a federal shield law from The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press.
Society of Professional Journalists
Texas Association of Broadcasters
Washington State Broadcasters Association
| For more information, contact: | |
| Jeremy Milarsky Database Library Director IRE and NICAR E-mail: jeremy@ire.org Voice: 573-882-1982 Fax: 573-884-5544 |
Beth Kopine Research Director IRE Resource Center E-mail: beth@ire.org Voice: 573-882-6668 Fax: 573-884-8151 |
