IV. Who is covered

By its express statutory language, the scope of Georgia's privilege is very broad. It applies to "[a]ny person, company, or other entity engaged in the gathering or dissemination of news for the public through a newspaper, book, magazine, or radio or television broadcast." O.C.G.A. § 24-9-30.

With respect to such persons, the privilege applies not just to information or records obtained in "gathering" the news, but also to information and records prepared in "disseminating" the news. This latter provision precludes any claim that drafts or other internal records in the possession of editors or other news personnel are not privileged.

The only exception to the scope of the privilege is that is does not apply where the one asserting the privilege is a party. But see Atlanta Journal-Constitution v. Jewell, 251 Ga. App. 808, 813 (2001) (recognizing in defamation action that confidential sources must still be afforded protection under traditional discovery principles), cert. denied, 2002 Ga. Lexis 103 (2002), cert. denied, 537 U.S. 814 (2002).