WikiLeaks and a journalism 'shield law'

[Commentary] For years, members of Congress have tied themselves in knots trying to figure out how to pass a "shield law" that allows journalists to protect the identities of sources without giving anything to journalists whom those same members do not like or appreciate.

Lawmakers recognize the value of protecting sources when they disclose the Pentagon Papers or details about Watergate, but they're less keen on those who reveal corporate secrets or classified documents about wars they support. Now, with a shield law poised for approval, the WikiLeaks disclosures of classified material from Afghanistan have reinforced the timidity that has delayed this legislation for too long. Journalism is fast-changing, and Congress is slow-moving. One consequence is that the more Congress attempts to define journalism, the more anachronistic Congress becomes. Rather than trying to figure out who should be protected and who should not, Congress should focus on what it is trying to accomplish — namely, to preserve for citizens of this democracy the information they need to govern themselves, information that sometimes only becomes public if those who have it can supply it anonymously.