Are journalist shield laws unconstitutional?

[Agnosticsherbet]

8. Sheilds laws are constitutional because they fall under "Freedom of the Press."

The Press can not do its job if it must testify and turn in its informants.

It is a pity that they need to be passed.

Here is an interesting site about Shield laws.

http://www.westga.edu/~byates/Journalist's%20Privilege/shield.htm

Branzburg v. Hayes


Supreme Court rules 5-4 that there is no First Amendment privilege allowing journalists to keep source identities secret in some circumstances.

Justice Powell’s concurrence


Courts still available to journalists if information sought is irrelevant or does not serve a legitimate need of law enforcement.

Favored case-by-case approach.

Interesting stuff.

Protecting Unpublished Information and Confidential Sources