7.15 Reporters' Shield Law

• Jurisdiction: Arizona

7.15 Reporters’ Shield Law.

Arizona’s shield law applies to those “engaged in newspaper, radio, television or reportorial work,” or who are “connected with or employed by a newspaper, radio or television station.”⁹⁷ The statute prevents a protected individual from being compelled to disclose a source of information gathered for publication in a newspaper, or for broadcasting over a radio or television station, with which that individual is associated.⁹⁸ The Arizona Supreme Court has construed the shield law to apply only to confidential sources.⁹⁹

In Matera v. Superior Court , the Arizona Court of Appeals explained that Arizona’s shield law does not protect all activities of news gatherers, nor does it protect the...