| Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal and Senator Tom Duane have teamed up to sponsor a bill in their respective chambers that would provide protections for journalist bloggers rights.
The bill is S.4642/A.6078 and it would extend the same protections provided under the shield law for journalist bloggers.
In recognition of New York State's tradition of strong protections for journalists, Senator Thomas K. Duane (D, WFP Manhattan) and Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal (D, WFP Manhattan) have recently introduced legislation (S.4642/A.6078) that would provide protection to journalist bloggers under New York's reporters' shield law.
New York's shield law, one of the strongest in the country, prevents journalists from being compelled to disclose confidential information or sources in state court. This new law would add journalist bloggers to the list of journalists who are protected from being charged with contempt of court for failing to disclose any news obtained in confidence or failing to provide the identity of a confidential source.
The current shield law protects professional journalists involved with newspapers, magazines, news agencies, press associations, wire services, radio and television. The legislation also defines a web log or blog as a website or web page that contains an online journal containing news, comments and offers hyperlinks provided by the writer.
Sen. Duane said that it is time to acknowledge the place blogs have in the journalistic world.
"The media is changing, both in content, access and scope. It is important that the laws of New York State reflect the changing landscape of journalism. Enacting this legislation will ensure that those reporters who write for a blog are given the same protections as traditional print or television journalists. If we don't, we face a chilling effect on free speech and journalists' ability to aggressively report the news. It is time New York's shield law reflected the reality of 2009 and acknowledges that blogs do exist."
Assemblywoman Rosenthal agreed, saying that it is time for these rights to be extended to blogs.
"New York State has one of the strongest reporters' shield laws in the country," said Assemblymember Linda B. Rosenthal. "Yet, although blogs provide news to countless New Yorkers, we still do not extend the protection of the law to blogger journalists. We must remedy this by affording bloggers the same rights that we offer other journalists. I call on my colleagues in the Assembly and Senate to support this legislation and the right to free speech."
This is a great day for New York and a great day for bloggers all across the state. Such legislation is long overdue. We have earned a place among those who call themselves journalists. Bloggers, in the political world, have been treated seriously for a few years now. But in the world of journalism, the traditional media has kept blogs at arms length. That is unfortunate and also, I would argue, a reason why certain mediums like print media now find themselves with an uncertain future.
As a blogger, I take this role seriously. It isn't the most lucrative role, but I have built connections all across the state that I do not take lightly. I believe that those connections take me just as seriously, knowing that whatever they say or do could end up on this blog and knowing that I could either help or hurt them.
We do have standards in the blogosphere. But for far too long we haven't been afforded the same protections that the traditional media outlets have been used to for some time. If this legislation passes, that will change.
I hope that the Assembly and Senate passes this legislation and I hope that they would do so in a timely manner.
And if they don't, I guess I know what I can write about next. |
