Alliance President and CEO Danielle Coffey stated, “The PRESS Act provides a vital safeguard for the important work of the free press in reporting on matters important to our communities, without fear of government interference or intimidation. The Alliance thanks Representatives Kevin Kiley and Jamie Raskin for their leadership on this bill in the House and we look forward to supporting this important bi-partisan bill advancing in the Senate.”

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The PRESS Act, which unanimously passed the House last Congress, ensures that journalists can perform their work without fear of government overreach by prohibiting government officials from exposing confidential sources or subpoenaing for protected information. The bill allows the free press to continue their important investigative work to shed light on public matters critical to preserving our democracy, while still enabling enforcement officials to obtain the information they need to investigate and prosecute crimes to keep the nation secure.

Danielle Coffey, News/Media Alliance President & CEO, stated, “The News/Media Alliance proudly supports the PRESS Act and commends Senators Wyden, Durbin and Lee, and Representatives Raskin and Kiley for their leadership and commitment to protecting a free and independent press. The PRESS Act will ensure that journalists can maintain editorial independence and protect confidential sources which are a vital part of producing quality news. We encourage Congress to swiftly pass this important bi-partisan legislation.”

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Alliance President and CEO David Chavern stated, “A free and independent press is vital to democracy, and the PRESS Act ensures that journalists maintain editorial independence by protecting their confidential source information. Without these protections, journalists are at risk of government intimidation, losing sources and being unable to produce quality news. The Alliance is proud to support these bi-partisan protections, and we encourage the Senate to follow swiftly so it can be enacted into law.”

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The Alliance looks forward to the Act being signed into law and continues to support legislative efforts to protect journalists from any attempt to thwart the newsgathering process.

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Groundbreaking investigative stories of government corruption and other wrongdoings would remain unknown – both to the public and to Congress – without information gathered from confidential sources by investigative journalists. Actions by the government to learn journalists’ confidential sources undermine the ability of the press, as outlined in the First Amendment, to provide important information to the public about such transgressions.

The legislation introduced now in both the House and Senate would prevent government overreach in obtaining confidential information that would expose anonymous sources and jeopardize the public’s right to know, while at the same time enabling law enforcement officials to get the information they need to investigate and prosecute crimes to keep the nation secure.

Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, “We must do more to protect journalists from being forced to reveal confidential sources used in investigative reporting, which are often crucial to helping to shed light on important public matters critical to preserving our democracy. We are grateful to Representative Raskin for his leadership in introducing this legislation, as well as Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler for calling attention to the problem of prosecutorial overreach when it comes to seeking source information from reporters.”

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Whether it is the mistreatment of soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, safety problems at nuclear power plants, or reporting on the government’s secret and warrantless wiretapping program, groundbreaking stories would remain unknown – both to the public and to Congress – without information gathered from confidential sources by investigative journalists.

The legislation introduced today by Senator Wyden prevents government overreach in obtaining information that would expose sources and jeopardize the public’s right to know, while at the same time, enables law enforcement officials to get the information they need to investigate and prosecute crimes to keep the nation secure.

Alliance President and CEO, David Chavern, stated, “Our nation’s history has shown that confidential sources are often crucial to helping journalists shed light on important public matters critical to a strong democracy. We are grateful to Senator Wyden for his leadership on this issue and we look forward to working with him and others in Congress to enact this important legislation.”

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As we head into the new year, we wanted to look back at some of the interesting things we learned in 2018. Over the course of the year, we’ve shared dozens of articles with you, from profiles of our young Rising Stars to columns from CEO David Chavern, from journalism history quizzes to detailed infographics about the strength of the news media during elections and on Black Friday. If you missed any of our most informative or engaging articles, now is your chance to catch up!

Is It Finally Time For A Federal Shield Law?

While a federal shield law would not supersede state laws, protection on the federal level would send a clear message about the importance of preserving the relationships journalists have with their sources.

10 Pulitzer Prize–Worthy Halloween Costumes for Journalists

It’s time for the third annual News Media Alliance Halloween costume round-up. As always, these costumes are easy for when you’re tight on deadline.

News Advertising Panorama: A Wide-Ranging Look at the Value of the News Audience

Recent research shows that, for advertisers, there’s no better audience to target than the news media audience. This research is the foundation of the Panorama, which highlights the benefits and advantages for marketers of advertising in print and digital news media.

Guest Post: When Winning Feels Like Losing

When the International Trade Commission reversed the tariffs on Canadian newsprint, publishers and paper producers rejoiced. But now that refunds are being sent to producers, publishers are left wondering if they’ll share in the returned revenue.

Rising Star: Nicole Hong

Nicole Hong moved around a lot as a child. But when she moved from Pennsylvania to Indiana in the 10th grade, she found journalism

How To: Use Twitter to Your Advantage as a Journalist

As simple as Twitter may seem, it’s not entirely intuitive how journalists should use it. Should it be used as a self-promotion tool? A way to crowdsource stories? A way to engage with readers? A way to have fun? The journalists who are most successful on Twitter use it for all of those things, and move seamlessly between those modes of engagement. We look at those journalists and what you can learn from their use of the social media platform.

Quiz: Do You Know Which Election Headlines Are Real?

As midterm elections approach in the U.S., fake news producers have been sharing more and more stories that paint one side or the other as bad actors. Sometimes, those stories can seem so plausible that even the savviest of news consumers is at risk of falling for the lies. Take our quiz to find out how you’d fare against the fake news creators!

Infographic: 8 News Media Stats to Be Thankful For

As we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we wanted to share some of the good news about the news media industry — some facts and figures we can all be thankful for. Among the items bringing us some early holiday cheer are increased reader revenue, the end of tariffs on Canadian newsprint, and hope for growing trust among the news audience.

Student Press Law Center Fights for Student Journalists’ 1A Rights

While student journalists may not be facing the exact same threats as their adult counterparts, there are serious threats to the student press, and the current anti-press environment has only made things worse. But luckily for students across America, the Student Press Law Center is ready to assist young journalists no matter their legal or ethical predicament.

How Women In Sports Media Are Cheering Each Other On

Women only had 11.4 percent of the sports story bylines last year — and that was up from 10 percent the previous year. Yet women make up a huge percentage of sports fans — 51 percent of women are sports fans, and they make up about 35 percent of each sport’s fanbase. So why aren’t there more women covering athletics?

Honorary Mention: Can You Tell Real News Headlines from Fake? Take Our Quiz!

Although published in December 2017, our fake news quiz has remained incredibly popular with readers throughout 2018. Think you have what it takes to tell real headlines from fake news headlines? Take our quiz to find out!

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