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Bluefield Daily Telegraph – Shield law - Boucher legislation crucial to free press

Bluefield (W.Va.) Daily Telegraph
Oct. 17, 2007

We applaud U.S. House approval of the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007, legislation co-authored by U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.

The legislation will strongly support the right of

Bluefield (W.Va.) Daily Telegraph
Oct. 17, 2007

We applaud U.S. House approval of the Free Flow of Information Act of 2007, legislation co-authored by U.S. Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., and U.S. Rep. Mike Pence, R-Ind.

The legislation will strongly support the right of reporters to protect confidentiality of sources in most federal court cases. The decision by the House represents a significant and crucial victory for a free and effective press. However, the Bush administration, warning that the media shield bill would encourage leaks of classified information, threatened a veto.

Under the legislation that passed the House 398-21, reporters could still be compelled to disclose information on sources if that information is needed to prevent acts of terrorism or harm to the national security.

Boucher said the passage of the legislation represents a major victory for the public's right to know and for the ability of reporters to bring important information to light.

Boucher correctly insists that assurance of confidentiality that reporters give to sources is fundamental to their ability to deliver news on highly contentious matters of broad public interest, such as corruption in government or misdeeds in corporations.

Without the promise of confidentiality, Boucher said inside sources may not reveal information, and opportunities to take corrective action to address the potential harms may not arise.

Boucher said 34 states and the District of Columbia currently have statutes extending an absolute or qualified privilege protecting reporters from the compelled disclosure of the identity of confidential sources. "Such overwhelming support for assuring the confidentiality of journalists' sources at the state level lays bare the glaring lack of similar protections at the federal level," Boucher said Tuesday.

Pencer said the only check on government power in real time is a free and independent press. The Free Flow of Information Act is not about protecting reporters, it is about protecting the public's right to know.

We applaud Boucher, Pence and the House for passage of the federal shield law. It is a victory for a free press, and for the public's right to know.

We urge President Bush to support this all-important legislation, and to help protect the public's right to know and the continuation of a free and independent press.

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