Des Moines Register — Pass federal shield law to protect free press

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/31/2010 13:04:00
• In: Shield law editorials

Des Moines (Iowa) Register
August 31, 2010

The First Amendment's protection of a free press is severely diminished if the government can blithely force reporters to reveal the identities of confidential sources of information. Congress has for several years debated creating a "shield law" protecting journalists, and that bill should become law before the current session ends in December. The watchdog role of the media is at stake.

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Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers — U.S. Senate must pass shield law to protect sources, serve public

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/31/2010 12:35:00
• In: Shield law editorials

Scripps Treasure Coast Newspapers, Stuart, Fla.
August 27, 2010

From John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America:

With Wikileaks.org recently publishing more than 91,000 classified military reports from the war in Afghanistan, some have questioned whether now is the right time to enact a federal shield law. The media and journalism communities, as well as members of Congress who value the free flow of information, are in firm agreement: The time never has been more right.

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Daily News — Time is now for a federal shield law

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/27/2010 10:23:00
• In: Shield law editorials

The Daily News, Longview, Wash.
August 25, 2010

Legislation giving reporters a qualified privilege to withhold the names of confidential sources has been approved by the full House and Senate Judiciary Committee. Long-time advocates of a federal shield law believe this could be the year that Congress finally musters the necessary votes for passage.

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Citizen-Times — Shield law needed to protect news sources

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/24/2010 16:15:00
• In: Shield law editorials

Ashville Citizen-times
August 24, 2010

Those familiar with the First Amendment will immediately note the importance our Founding Fathers put on a free press. This wasn’t an idle philosophical exercise on their part. A free press is essential to freedom.

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ASNE joins amicus brief in Colorado open-records case

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/24/2010 15:08:00
• In: Amicus briefs

The Denver Post is seeking access to a list of nonpersonal phone calls made by Colorado Governor Bill Ritter. The Ritter Administration claims the calls are exempt from the state's public records law since they were made on the governor's personal cell phone, and a lower court agreed. Earlier this month, ASNE joined 10 other media organizations in an amicus brief filed in the Colorado Supreme Court supporting the Post's position that the lower court ruling would open a huge hole in the state's Open Records Act.

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Gazette-Journal — Federal shield law is needed to protect your right to know

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/24/2010 10:42:00
• In: Shield law editorials

Reno (Nev.) Gazette-Journal
August 24, 2010

On the surface, a law limiting the circumstances under which a reporter could be subpoenaed by federal authorities to disclose their sources might appear to be special-interest legislation.

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Editorials weigh in on the need for a federal shield law

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/23/2010 12:41:00
• In: FOI

As the final days of the 111th Congress wind down, news organizations led by ASNE editors have generated a drumbeat of editorials in support of the law to protect reporters' sources.

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Times Leader — Responsible journalism requires a federal shield law

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/23/2010 12:30:00
• In: Shield law editorials

Times Leader, Wilkes-Barre, Pa.
August 23, 2010

From John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America:

WITH WIKILEAKS.ORG recently publishing more than 91,000 classified military reports from the war in Afghanistan, some have questioned whether now is the right time to enact a federal shield law. The media and journalism communities, as well as members of Congress who value the free flow of information, are in firm agreement: The time has never been more right.

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Tennessean — Federal shield law would protect public's right to know

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/23/2010 12:22:00
• In: Shield law editorials

The Tennessean, Nashville
August 22, 2010

From John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America:

With Wikileaks.org recently publishing more than 91,000 classified military reports from the war in Afghanistan, some have questioned whether now is the right time to enact a federal shield law. The media and journalism communities, as well as members of Congress who value the free flow of information, are in firm agreement: The time has never been more right.

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel — Confidential sources key to democracy

• By: ASNE staff
• On: 08/23/2010 12:13:00
• In: Shield law editorials

South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Fort Lauderdale
August 22, 2010

From John F. Sturm, president and CEO of the Newspaper Association of America:

With Wikileaks.org recently publishing more than 91,000 classified military reports from the war in Afghanistan, some have questioned whether now is the right time to enact a federal shield law. The media and journalism communities, as well as members of Congress who value the free flow of information, are in firm agreement: The time has never been more right.

Read More