Homebound: Reporter Jim Taricani’s home confinement sentence comes as Congress considers a federal shield law for the first time in decades.     Publisher Lucy A. Dalglish Editor Gregg P. Leslie Managing Editor Kirsten B. Mitchell Contributors Cassandra Belter, Eddie Florek, Kimberley Keyes, Ryan Lozar, Grant Penrod Administration Lois Lloyd, Victor Gaberman, Maria Gowen   RCFP Steering Committee Scott Applewhite, The Associated Press Rosemary Armao, S. Florida Sun-Sentinel Charles Babcock, The Washington Post Chip Bok, Akron Beacon Journal Earl Caldwell, Pacifica Radio Rebecca Carr, Cox Newspapers Walter Cronkite, CBS News Gary Deckelnick, Asbury Park Press Richard S. Dunham, Business Week Ashlea Ebeling, Forbes Magazine Sara Fritz, Freelance Steve Geimann, Bloomberg News Fred Graham, Court TV John C. Henry, Freelance Nat Hentoff, The Village Voice Karen Gray Houston, Fox News Peter Jennings, ABC News Stephen Labaton, The New York Times Tony Mauro, American Laywer Media Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times Wilson F. Minor, Factual Reporting Service Sandra Peddie, Newsday Dan Rather, CBS News David Rosenbaum, The New York Times Cristine Russell, Freelance Tim Russert, NBC News Gerald F. Seib, The Wall Street Journal Carole Simpson, ABC News Saundra Torry, USA Today Judy Woodruff, CNN   Affiliations appear for purposes of identification.   The Reporters Committee would like to thank The Associated Press for permission to use photos from its files.   © 2005 by the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press. Published four times a year. Price: $7.50 per issue. Address correspondence to: The News Media and The Law 1101 Wilson Blvd., Suite 1100 Arlington, VA 22209 Telephone: (703) 807-2100 Internet: www.rcfp.org E-mail: rcfp@rcfp.org ISSN: 0149-0737

The News Media & The Law   Winter 2005    •    Vol. 29, No. 1     In this issue:  Editorial   EDITORIAL That nasty "L" word  Cover Story   COVER STORY Buttressing the First Amendment The first attempts in years to enact a federal shield law may see something unprecedented -- widespread, although far from unanimous, news media support   GUEST COMMENTARY Warming up to the idea of a shield law   SIDEBAR Shielding sources around the world   FEATURE A journalist's home is his prison  Libel   FEATURE Stuck in neutral The U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to consider the controversial 'neutral reportage' privilege   SIDEBAR A footnote in legal history   COMMENTARY Barring the bar  Freedom of Information   SPECIAL REPORT Justice and the Public Interest Alberto Gonzales, the press and the public's right to know   COMMENTARY Little things mean a lot   COMMENTARY Fortified FOI Making open records provisions part of a state constitution, as California voters did last year, can lead to stronger laws and fewer exemptions.   FEATURE Lessons in school board secrecy Communications technologies raise issues concerning openness of board meetings  From the Hotline   HOTLINE From the Hotline  Secret Courts   FEATURE Gagging gadflies The Supreme Court considers a California court's attempt at turning a libel verdict into a permanent prior restraint   SIDEBAR The lonely pamphleteer  Prior Restraints   FEATURE Gotti takes hit in effort to gag talk-show host Muzzling trial participants raises difficult issues when journalists are witnesses  Broadcasting   FEATURE Violating journalism ethics . . . and possibly the law   ROUNDUP Camera controversy in courtrooms continues  Newsgathering   ROUNDUP Journalists in three states encounter newsgathering hurdles at the polls   FEATURE Freedom writers While rules on collaborating with authors from U.S.-sanctioned countries have been eased, some concerns remain  Open & Shut   Open & Shut A recent collection of funny, fascinating, nonsensical or just notable newsworthy quotations