Journalists' Info Threat Level Raised

[donsu]

http://www.broadcastingcable.com/index.asp?layout=articlePrint&articleID=CA452619

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"Citizens seem to not realize how drastically their right to know has been limited in the last three years," said Lucy Dalglish, RCFP director, in a statement on the release of its annual update, "Hoefront Confidential. "Even journalists will be astonished at the lengthy list of actions taken by public officials to turn basic government information into state secrets."

The committee has been keeping a running journalistic "threat level" that mirror's the government's own color-coded terrorist threat warnings. The two categories that remain at red alert are Freedom of Information Act restrictions and Access to Terrorism and Immigrations Proceedings, but two other categories have moved from elevated (yellow) to high (orange) status since last year's report: USA PATRIOT Act restrictions and reporters privilege.

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On the issue of reporter privilege, it says: "With national security concerns dominating American life, U.S. journalists face an increased likelihood since September 11 of being seen as government informants, with no constitutional right to keep sources confidential or to withhold unpublished materials from prosecutors."

Dalglish told B&C that she was particularly concerned about access to terrorism and immigrations proceedings. The threat was red last year and red this year, the top threat level, "but if I could have made it neon, I would have," she said. "Incredible things have been happening to keep the public in the dark on anything quasi-judicial. And it's coming from the Bush administration and its coming from the courts and military tribunals and hearings…. We are locking people up and trying them in secret." As a lawyer, she says, "that is the most frightening thing that is happening."
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watching america crumble

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Hence why the GOP is now demanding an investigation on

CBS, they went out of the reservation....

[LynzM]

2. Very scary

Free and independant media, what? Yikes.

[Lancer]

3. Some "journalists" are more equal than others. . .

U.S. journalists face an increased likelihood since September 11 of being seen as government informants, with no constitutional right to keep sources confidential or to withhold unpublished materials from prosecutors."

Robert Novak seems to have circumvented this as conveniently as * did his TANG duty.

[Hello_Kitty]

4. Well, you know THEIR journalists will be given access

As needed for propaganda or subversion purposes.