Shielding Matt & Judy et al.

Two respected Hoosiers weigh in today on the issue of freedom of the press and freedom for the press, writing “Compelling reporters to testify, and in particular to reveal the identity of their confidential sources, hurts the public interest.”

Richard Lugar and Mike Pence took a chunk of the WP oped page today to explain their thinking behind the Free Flow of Information Act, a.k.a. the Media Shield Law. Explaining the law mirrors the existing shield laws of 31 states, as the two co-sponsors explain it, “This bill would set national standards for subpoenas issued to reporters by an entity or employee of the federal government. It strikes a reasonable balance between the public’s right to know and the fair administration of justice.”

As far as clarifying that the law is not a radical step, they write, “It is important to note what the bill does not do. It doesn’t give reporters a license to break the law in the name of gathering news. It doesn’t give them the right to interfere with police and prosecutors who are trying to prevent crimes. It leaves laws on classified information unchanged. It simply gives journalists certain rights and abilities to seek sources and report appropriate information without fear of intimidation or imprisonment, much as, in the public interest, we allow psychiatrists, clergy and social workers to maintain confidences.”

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