Protecting Media Sources

Protecting Media Sources

The main principle supporting press freedom is the ability to protect their sources as identified in international law and by the United Nations. Therefore, the news media sources should be protected at all cost. Otherwise, important information that exposes many illegal doings might never be made public. Also, the sources will be dissuaded since no one will agree to offer any sensitive information when they are not protected. In our article, a New York Times reporter has undergone several cases where information was seized from his phone, thus exposing his sources (Apuzzo, 2015). Involving journalist in a trial to disclose their sources, or putting them to jail for refusing to identify their confidential sources, put their job at risk. However, a line should be drawn to exclude cases in which the journalist is supposed to reveal their sources..

In exceptional circumstances, disclosure of confidential sources is possible. Regardless of the journalist’s privileges, sometimes the need to protect vital interest justifies disclosing the information. However, utmost caution must be taken when interfering with the secrecy of the news. News are revealed only if the required sources are related to any serious crime, and when there are no other sources available to help solve the case (Peters, 2016). In such a case, the judge is expected to provide sufficient explanations on why there was interest in discovering information that overrides the media’s freedom. Any other cases that don’t meet the above standards should not close the line.

In some circumstances, the media can be or cannot be forced to reveal their sources. When the media has information about a crime or is a witness to a certain crime. In such a case, the media or journalist is forced to reveal the sources and testify before the court of law (Peters, 2016). Also, if the case of national security and the information is important and not available from any other sources, the media may reveal the sources. On the other hand, the media is not forced to reveal confidential sources when they are other available sources, and if the case is not important or of interest. (347)

References

Apuzzo, M. (2015). Times Reporter Will Not Be Called to Testify in Leak Case. Retrieved 1 April 2020, from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/13/us/times-reporter-james-risen-will-not-be-called-to-testify-in-leak-case-lawyers-say.html

Peters, J. (2016). Shield Laws and Journalist’s Privilege: The Basics Every Reporter Should Know. Columbia Journalism Review.