INDIANAPOLIS — The Society of Professional Journalists is disappointed in the Senate’s vote today that stalled S. 2035, the Senate version of the Free Flow of Information Act, also known as the federal media shield law.
Senators who didn’t vote at all
Kennedy (D-MA)
McCain (R-AZ)
McCaskill (D-MO)
Obama (D-IL)
Rockefeller (D-WV)
Wicker (R-MS)
Today’s vote failed to invoke cloture, or the motion to proceed, after receiving only 51 of the necessary 60 votes. The 43 senators, mostly Republican, who voted against cloture, cited a pending energy bill they wanted to amend to allow for increased domestic oil and gas production.
“We are very disappointed that the Senate does not see the need to debate a federal shield law today,” SPJ President Clint Brewer said. “SPJ will continue to encourage its members and public citizens to contact members of Congress and express part of the Society’s mission: to encourage a climate where journalism can be practiced freely. A federal shield law would be a major step toward that goal.”
A federal shield law would give journalists the right to refuse to reveal information and sources obtained during the newsgathering process with a few notable exceptions, including where national security is at issue. The qualified privilege would be similar to those afforded to lawyers and their clients, clergy and their penitents, and psychotherapists and their patients.
Forty-nine states have common-law, statutory or rule-based protections in place to shield journalists and their confidential sources from compelled testimony.
Founded in 1909 as Sigma Delta Chi, the Society of Professional Journalists promotes the free flow of information vital to a well-informed citizenry; works to inspire and educate the next generation of journalists; and protects First Amendment guarantees of freedom of speech and press. For further information about SPJ, please visit www.spj.org.
Latest Updates July 30, 2008: Shield Law stalls in Senate
The Society of Professional Journalists is disappointed in the Senate’s vote today that stalled S. 2035, the Senate version of the Free Flow of Information Act, also known as the federal media shield law. Continue reading
July 16, 2008: SPJ President Clint Brewer's letter to Sen. John Cornyn's office urging support of S. 2035
In a letter to Matt Johnson, Sen. Cornyn's Judiciary Committee Counsel, Brewer urges the Senator to focus on the act of journalism rather than defining who is a journalist. Read the letter [PDF, 164 KB]
May 10, 2008: New York Times: From Places Unexpected, Support for the Press
“An unusual cast of conservatives has added momentum to a bill that would protect the confidentiality of reporters’ sources, even as the Bush administration has lobbied vigorously against the idea.” Continue reading over at newyorktimes.com
May 5, 2008: Arlen Specter: Why We Need a Shield Law
“The importance of a free press is so woven into the fabric of our history that Americans often take it for granted. But when we observe fledgling democracies around the world, Americans can see just how essential a free media are to democracy — and how easily they can be chilled. If we are to have a free press, it is necessary to protect the relationship between journalists and trusted sources to whom journalists have promised confidentiality. For this reason, every state but Wyoming has established some form of reporters' privilege.” Continue reading over at washingtonpost.com
April 4, 2008: SPJ leaders urge Bush Administration, Department of Justice to forego shield law legislation opposition
Leaders of the Society of Professional Journalists today urged members of the Bush Administration, the United States Department of Justice and members of the United States Senate to forego attempts to stifle the passage of S. 2035, the Free Flow of Information Act. To read the complete release, click here.
Society of Professional Journalists
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