Bloggers with Shields: Reconciling the Blogosphere?s Intrinsic Editorial Process with Traditional Concepts of Media Accountability

• Author: Benjamin J. Wischnowski
• Position: J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2012; B.A., The University of Pittsburgh, 2009.
• Pages: 327-346

327

Bloggers with Shields: Reconciling the

Blogosphere’s Intrinsic Editorial Process

with Traditional Concepts of Media

Accountability

Benjamin J. Wischnowski

ABSTRACT: As a growing volume of investigative reporting emerges from

the blogosphere, many bloggers are currently assuming the role of

“watchdogs” of both traditional media and nonmedia institutions. To

perform this role effectively, bloggers frequently argue that they, as

“journalists,” need protection under state shield laws—statutes that prevent

the compelled disclosure of confidential sources. Courts have yet to reach a

consensus on the proper standard for distinguishing among bloggers for

purposes of shield-law protection. This Note questions the prudence of

standards that condition protection on how closely bloggers imitate the very

institutions whose authority they are challenging and argues for an

altogether separate test for bloggers that acknowledges the blogosphere’s

unique editorial process.

I. INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................... 329

II. BLOGGERS AS JOURNALISTS .................................................................... 331

A. EVOLUTION OF THE JOURNALIST’S PRIVILEGE AND SHIELD LAWS ......... 331

B. TWO STATES’ BROAD APPLICATION OF STATUTORY PROTECTION ........ 333

C. ANALYSIS OF BLOGGERS AS JOURNALISTS ........................................... 334

D. NEW JERSEY CONFRONTS THE SHIELD-LAW ISSUE ............................... 335

III. BLOGGERS AND TRADITIONAL REPORTERS UNDER THE SAME

UMBRELLA ............................................................................................. 336

A. BLOGGERS AS WATCHDOGS OF THE MEDIA ......................................... 336

B. CONSEQUENCES OF TREATING BLOGGERS AS INVESTIGATIVE

JOURNALISTS ............................................................................. 338

 J.D. Candidate, The University of Iowa College of Law, 2012; B.A., The University of

Pittsburgh, 2009.

328 IOWA LAW REVIEW [Vol. 97:327

IV. LACK OF TRANSPARENCY IN THE INFORMATION-GATHERING PROCESS .. 339

A. BLOGOSPHERE UNLIKELY TO BECOME INSTITUTIONALIZED ............... 340

B. PROBLEM WITH TESTS THAT IGNORE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN

TRADITIONAL JOURNALISTS AND BLOGGERS ................................... 341

V. BLOGGER-SPECIFIC TEST BASED ON BLOGOSPHERE’S UNIQUE

EDITORIAL PROCESS ........................................................................ 343

A. MEDIUM OF NEWS DISSEMINATION AS A TRIGGER FOR A REPORTER-

SPECIFIC TEST ........................................................................... 343

B. APPLYING THE BLOGGER-SPECIFIC APPROACH ................................ 344

VI. CONCLUSION .................................................................................. 346