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Story originally printed in the La Crosse Tribune or online at www.lacrossetribune.com

Published - Monday, July 28, 2008

We need a national shield law to protect reporters, sources

By Tribune editorial board

A federal shield law protecting journalists and their sources might be voted on in the U.S. Senate this week.

Sen. Harry Reid, D-Nev., has said he wants to bring the bill up this week. Last year, the House of Representatives passed a similar bill.

We realize it’s a tough sell for a newspaper to be advocating immunity from prosecution in cases where information is obtained from confidential sources.

But the idea of a shield law does not prevent action against leaks of information about acts of terrorism or information that causes significant harm to national security.

Wisconsin’s senators support the shield law, as do presidential candidates John McCain and Barack Obama.

It isn’t just about journalists. Informants and whistle blowers often risk their own careers to expose information the public needs to know. Think of this as an act to provide for more open government. That’s why it’s referred to as the Free Flow of Information Act.

During the past four years, more than 40 reporters have been threatened with being held in

contempt for protecting their sources. Two reporters were sentenced to jail or home confinement. One faced fines of up to $5,000.

Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia have shield laws. Wisconsin does not have such a law. There should be uniform standards governing when testimony and other information can be sought from reporters in the courts. That’s why a federal shield law would be helpful.

The Bush administration has opposed such a law, but that did not stop the House from passing one last year by an overwhelming vote of 398 to 21.

It’s time to support the free flow of information, the identities of whistle blowers and the right of the people to know what their government is up to.

That’s why it’s important that we get a federal shield law, and national standards governing the power of the courts and the rights of informants and reporters.