Media Shield Measure Stalls in Senate

A bill to protect journalists from having to reveal their sources in some federal courts stalled in the Senate on Wednesday, the latest victim of a partisan fight over what to do about gas prices. Democrats wanted to put aside an energy bill to debate and pass the media bill, which would shield reporters from being forced by federal prosecutors to reveal their sources, except in certain circumstances. But, on a 51-43 vote, the bill fell nine votes short of the 60 it would have needed to move forward over the GOP objections. A vote on the shield bill may now be delayed until the fall. The American Civil Liberties Union, which backs the shield law, was concerned that the bill's protections for journalists were being weakened by "the administration's relentless effort to gut significant protections in what will be the first federal shield law." The Bush administration and many congressional Republicans are strongly opposed to the media shield, arguing the bill could damage national security by harming prosecutors' ability to track leaks. Proponents argue that confidentiality has been crucial to journalists' pursuit of important stories, and that a recent flurry of attempts to compel reporters to cough up their sources' identities is proof that the legislation is needed. Republicans said they were uncomfortable about limiting the legislation to certain people, contending the government shouldn't determine who gets journalistic protections and who doesn't.