Comments on: Journalists, sources, bloggers, privilege

By: cearta.ie » I spy, but I can’t show and tell

cearta.ie » I spy, but I can’t show and tell — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 10:51:00 +0000

[...] Judith Miller published a story which, among other things, named Valerie Plame as a CIA spy. In later grand jury proceedings, Miller declined to name her source, despite a decision of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals that she had to do so, and spent 85 days in prison for her troubles. In truth, both Plame and Miller were pawns in a bigger game being played by the White House, but a lawsuit by Plame against members of the Bush administration was dismissed. In the meantime, Plame wrote a memoir about the affair: Fair Game. My Life as a Spy, My Betrayal by the White House (cover left) (Amazon | Simon & Schuster) but she was prevented by the CIA from writing about various aspects of her employment with them. The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit held (pdf) yesterday that this restriction did not infringe her First Amendment right to free speech. [...]

By: cearta.ie » Two journalists’ conceptions of source privilege

cearta.ie » Two journalists’ conceptions of source privilege — Sun, 23 Aug 2009 10:24:51 +0000

[...] of Robert Novak (pictured left, on the cover of his autobiography), an excellent summary of the Judith Miller affair. From the obituary (with added links): Conservative US columnist revealed identity of CIA [...]

By: cearta.ie » Journalists’ source privilege: one privilege or two?

cearta.ie » Journalists’ source privilege: one privilege or two? — Tue, 05 May 2009 07:11:26 +0000

[...] (2005), whilst the US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit considered both species, but held that Judith Miller could rely on neither to resist a summons to testify before a grand jury. On the other hand, given [...]

By: cearta.ie » … or of the blogosphere?

cearta.ie » … or of the blogosphere? — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 07:19:47 +0000

[...] I’m going to return to the question of journalists’ source privilege. Where it exits, should bloggers also have the benefit of it? Hans Peter Lehofer’s analysis suggests that, at least so far as the ECHR and the ECJ are [...]

By: cearta.ie » Cowengate and Freedom of Expression

cearta.ie » Cowengate and Freedom of Expression — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 09:42:08 +0000

[...] third question relates to Today fm’s sources. Whether journalists have a privilege at Irish law to decline to reveal their sources has not yet been decided at Irish law. It would be ridiculous if [...]