What law protects reporters from revealing their sources?

shield law
shield law, in the United States, any law that protects journalists against the compelled disclosure of confidential information, including the identities of their sources, or the forced surrender of unpublished written material collected during news gathering, such as notes.

Why do journalists argue that the First Amendment protects them from revealing sources?

Many reporters believe that the First Amendment provides them protection from testifying before a grand jury regarding their sources and prize their role as “neutral watchdogs and objective observers.” According to the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, courts traditionally have supported the idea that …

Who protects journalists?

The Committee to Protect Journalists
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) is an American independent non-profit, non-governmental organization, based in New York City, New York, with correspondents around the world. CPJ promotes press freedom and defends the rights of journalists.

Why do journalists use anonymous sources?

Journalists defend the use of anonymous sources for a variety of reasons: Access. Some sources refuse to share stories without the shield of anonymity, including many government officials. Protection from reprisal or punishment.

Why do journalists protect their sources?

Journalists rely on source protection to gather and reveal information in the public interest from confidential sources. Such sources may require anonymity to protect them from physical, economic or professional reprisals in response to their revelations.

How are journalists protected?

Roughly 30 states have passed statutes, called shield laws, allowing journalists to refuse to disclose or testify about confidential or unpublished information, including the identity of sources. The statutes vary significantly from state to state in the scope of their protections.

Do journalists have protection?

Although virtually every state has a law protecting reporters from having to disclose to law enforcement sensitive information about their reporting, including the identity of confidential sources, Congress and the federal courts have refused to recognize such a privilege.

What protection do Shield laws give reporters?

Shield laws are statutes that provide journalists either an absolute or qualified privilege to refuse to disclose sources used or information obtained in the course of news gathering.

What protections do Shield laws give reporters quizlet?

Shield laws protect journalists’ right to refuse to testify against their sources while gathering information in their role as journalists.

What is anonymous source?

The use of anonymous sources encourages some sources to divulge information which it is illegal for them to divulge, such as the details of a legal settlement, grand jury testimony, or classified information.