NAA Supports a Federal Shield Law

NAA advocates before the executive and legislative branches on First Amendment and open government issues in support of newspapers’ newsgathering activities.

A top priority is the enactment of a federal shield law that would enable journalists to protect confidential sources when subpoenaed in criminal and civil cases. Such a law would protect the free flow of information and the public’s right to know. While 49 states and the District of Columbia provide some legal protection for journalists and their sources, there is no similar law at the federal level. Yet journalists continue to receive subpoenas in federal cases that seek the names of their confidential sources. This practice threatens journalists’ ability to uncover stories of vital public interest.