Sidelined? As athletics becomes a bigger business, the economic effects are trickling down to affect the media’s access to high school players.     Publisher Lucy A. Dalglish Editor Gregg P. Leslie Managing Editor Jennifer Koons Contributors Scott Albright, Matthew Pollack and Corinna Zarek Administration Lois Lloyd, Victor Gaberman, Maria Gowen RCFP Steering Committee Dan Abrams, MSNBC Scott Applewhite, The Associated Press Chip Bok, Akron Beacon Journal Earl Caldwell, Pacifica Radio Rebecca Carr, Cox Newspapers Walter Cronkite, CBS News Richard S. Dunham, Houston Chronicle Ashlea Ebeling, Forbes Magazine Steve Geimann, Bloomberg News Fred Graham, Court TV Stephen Henderson, Detroit Free Press John C. Henry, The Associated Press Nat Hentoff, The Village Voice Edward H. Kohn, St. Louis Post-Dispatch Stephen Labaton, The New York Times Neil Lewis, The New York Times Tony Mauro, Legal Times Doyle McManus, Los Angeles Times Wilson F. Minor, Factual Reporting Service Sandra Peddie, Newsday Dana Priest, The Washington Post Dan Rather, HDNet Cristine Russell, Freelance Tim Russert, NBC News Bob Schieffer, CBS News Gerald F. Seib, The Wall Street Journal Saundra Torry, USA Today Vickie Walton-James, Tribune Publishing Judy Woodruff, PBS/The News Hour Affiliations appear for purposes of identification. The Reporters Committee would like to thank The Associated Press for permission to use photos from its files. © 2007 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 2008    •    Vol. 32, No. 1     In this issue:  Editorial   PREFERRED POSITION Leave it to the grandparents...  Cover Story   FEATURE Sidelined? As athletics becomes a bigger business, the economic effects are trickling down to affect the media’s access to high school players.   SIDEBAR Athletic access cases   GUEST COMMENTARY Athletic associations v. the press: a property rights competition  Freedom of Information   FEATURE Sunshine State living up to its name by encouraging transparency in government First-of-its kind FOIA Bill of Rights aims to have requesters treated with more 'respect, courtesy and professionalism.'   SIDEBAR Q&A with Florida Gov. Charlie Crist   FEATURE Court forces turnover in Paterno salary case Pennsylvania high court rules that state must reveal the legendary football coach’s earnings despite university objections.   FEATURE Two steps forward, one step back? After signing off on a FOIA reform bill, Bush sent a 2009 budget to Congress that would repeal a key section of the new law.   SIDEBAR FOIA backers in the Senate   FEATURE State public records laws and e-mail: an update   COMMENTARY Round and round and round with the FBI Don Devereux is caught in a bona fide FOIA loop-de-loop.  From the Hotline   COMMENTARY From the Hotline  Confidentiality/Privilege   ANALYSIS Defining Moments Most states have shield laws aimed at protecting journalists from harmful subpoenas, but are they protecting everyone they should?   SIDEBAR Defining a journalist in Congress   SIDEBAR Defining a journalist: the archetypes   FEATURE How to save a life A reporter breaks his promise of confidentiality to save a former FBI agent from a life sentence.  Libel   FEATURE Libel plaintiffs resort to British court system Mixing Internet distribution with favorable British libel laws have led plaintiffs to take advantage of courts in the United Kingdom.  Prior Restraints   FEATURE Still searching for answers Victims of the Sept. 11 terror attacks continue to seek public access to filings in their civil lawsuit.   FEATURE Senate revisits sunshine Lawmakers look at making access to matters of health and safety more transparent.   FEATURE N.H. court opens hearings for sex offender Judges support media, public right of access to post-conviction committment proceedings of sexually violent predators.      OPEN & SHUT Open & Shut A recent collection of funny, fascinating, nonsensical or just notable newsworthy quotations