Media seeks Senate vote on shield law

In the wake of the Supreme Court's refusal to take up a case involving a New York Times reporters refusal to identify his sources, a coalition of more than 70 news organizations and press freedom groups is urging the Senate to take prompt action to pass a shield law that would make it easier for journalists to protect their sources.

"Given Risen’s case, as well as last year’s revelations that the Justice Department secretly obtained the communications records of AP and Fox News reporters, a federal shield law is needed now more than ever to prevent government overreach and protect the public’s right to know," the news outlets and press advocates wrote. "The ability to protect confidential sources is the oxygen that investigative reporting needs to survive. Without it, journalists cannot provide the public they serve with the spirited, independent journalism that is the lifeblood of American debate and democracy."

The letter asks Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) to schedule a floor vote soon on the Free Flow of Information Act, which passed the Senate Judiciary Committee last September.