Whats the debate over a federal shield law for reporters?
Proponents say that a federal shield law is needed to preserve the press’s role as a watchdog for the public; that the threat of subpoenas will stifle reporting and discourage potential sources from coming forward; and that a federal law is needed to better define rights already implicit in the First Amendment. Opponents argue that reporters should be compelled to divulge information that is pertinent to national security or to the outcome of a court case. Some say a federal shield law would be ineffective because it would require a definition of “journalist” that could leave bloggers, freelance writers and others unprotected. A proposed shield law, the Free Flow of Information Act of 2005, was introduced in the 109th Congress by Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.) and Rep. Mike Pence (R-Ind.). Pence’s bill would have granted an absolute privilege unless an “imminent threat to national security” was involved, while Lugar’s version would have allowed reporters to be compelled to testify not onl
