As a reporter, it's nice to see the federal government standing up for me (I could be wrong, but I get the feeling that this doesn't happen very much). I am very much in favor of protection and believe this will remove any type of chilling effect the current system had on the industry. But whether you're a reporter or a superhero (which, if you ask me, can be all in one), the mantra that "with great power comes great responsibility" is always in play. As McCain noted, there are examples when publishing stories hurt national security or use sources that aren't accurate or reliable. There is a fine line that the government is entrusting us with, and assuming the Senate and president comply (which might not happen, considering President Bush's track record), it's now our responsibility to act responsibly.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
The shield law
John McCain has dealt with enough reporters throughout his political career that he surely knows some of the issues facing the industry. McCain addressed legislation to shield reporters from being legally obligated to disclose confidential sources late last week while on the campaign trail, among other topics. The U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007, which shields all confidential sources and documents related to published articles from subpoena. The U.S. Senate also is considering a similar bill, which is slightly less expansive and hasn't yet reached the entire Senate.
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Interestingly, McCain threw his support behind the shield law when he appeared before a group of editors this week. He was smart, I think, to tailor his remarks for his audience. Obama spoke before the same group but didn't really talk about journalism issues. Instead, his was more of a stump speech. Perhaps this is an indication of McCain being around longer and knowing how to play to his audience.
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