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    Digital Journalist's Legal Guide
    Tablet and mobile phone showing news online

    Everything online journalists need to protect their legal rights. This free resource culls from all Reporters Committee resources and includes exclusive content on digital media law issues.

    Shield Law

    New York shield law protects media in MLB suit

    J.C. Derrick | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | October 17, 2011
    J.C. Derrick
    Feature
    October 17, 2011

    Major League Baseball filed a complaint against an insurance company to find out who leaked confidential financial information to the Associated Press and Deadspin.com, but did not include the news organizations in the filing.

    New York's shield law includes absolute protection for journalists' confidential sources, leaving the league without an option to pursue the two organizations that published the financial records of six baseball franchises in August of last year.

    Federal shield law introduced in House once more

    J.C. Derrick | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | September 19, 2011
    J.C. Derrick
    Feature
    September 19, 2011

    In the latest step in a seven-year effort to pass a federal shield law, Republican Rep. Mike Pence of Indiana has re-introduced a bill in the House of Representatives that would provide protections for journalists in federal courts.

    Reporters Committee exec director warns of chilling effect as government tracks reporters' sources without subpoenas

    Press Release | September 12, 2011
    September 12, 2011

    Federal subpoenas of reporters could wane as the administration finds other ways to track down their confidential sources, writes Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press Executive Director Lucy Dalglish in the latest edition of The News Media & The Law.

    Student journalists' email must be turned over to state

    J.C. Derrick | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | September 9, 2011
    J.C. Derrick
    Feature
    September 9, 2011

    An Illinois judge ruled earlier this week that while the state's shield law covers student journalists, more than 500 email messages between a Northwestern University professor and his students investigating a 33-year-old murder case must still be turned over to state prosecutors.

    Reporters Committee joined by 46 news organizations in bid to quash subpoena

    Press Release | July 5, 2011
    July 5, 2011

    The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press, joined by 46 media organizations, has filed a friend-of-the-court brief in the U.S. Court of Appeals in New York City (2nd Cir.) seeking to affirm the quashing of a subpoena for the testimony of a Wall Street Journal reporter in a financial malfeasance lawsuit.

    N.J. shield law not limited to professional journalists

    Aaron Mackey | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | June 7, 2011
    Aaron Mackey
    Feature
    June 7, 2011

    A New Jersey Supreme Court decision announced Tuesday should make it easier for individuals associated with online publications and traditional media to invoke the protections of the state’s shield law.

    Reporters Committee launches new Digital Journalist's Legal Guide

    Press Release | June 6, 2011
    June 6, 2011

    An interactive reference to the myriad legal issues specifically facing reporters who are working online has joined the library of free, online media law guides available on the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press website.

    The Digital Journalist’s Legal Guide is designed to assist anyone who is disseminating news online, from an independent blogger to a reporter for a major media outlet, as well as media lawyers active in this area.

    Topic areas include:

    Separate look at each charge needed to overcome privilege

    Kristen Rasmussen | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | May 9, 2011
    Kristen Rasmussen
    Feature
    May 9, 2011

    A West Virginia trial judge erred when she ordered a newspaper to reveal the identities of anonymous sources and documents in a defamation suit against the paper, the state’s highest court recently ruled.

    The Supreme Court of Appeals of West Virginia returned the case to the lower court, which must identify and analyze each allegedly defamatory statement and the confidential source who made the statement separately.

    Hawaii Senate committee approves shield law extension

    Rachel Costello | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | April 8, 2011
    Rachel Costello
    Feature
    April 8, 2011

    The Hawaii Senate Judiciary and Labor Committee unanimously voted on Thursday to pass a two-year extension of the state shield law, which protects journalists from the compelled disclosure of their sources and newsgathering materials.

    The bill is scheduled to go before the full Senate. The House has already approved the measure.

    West Virginia acting governor signs reporter shield law

    Kristen Rasmussen | Reporter's Privilege | Feature | April 6, 2011
    Kristen Rasmussen
    Feature
    April 6, 2011

    West Virginia earlier this week became the 40th state, along with the District of Columbia, to provide statutory protection for subpoenaed reporters when acting Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin signed the state shield bill.

    The law will take effect on June 10.