Books in the Law Review by Ronald Goldfarb

These two recent books explore interesting questions about law and media. One reviews the contentious relationship between the press and the courts when claims are made that the confidentiality of anonymous news sources should be protected under the First Amendment or shield laws. The other deals with the fundamental question, who is a journalist and thus entitled to whatever benefits and protections may be available to the press? The first issue has been debated for a century and recently was in the national news when then-New York Times reporter Judith Miller was jailed for refusing to name her source after columnist Robert Novak outed a CIA official. The latter issue is an evolving one, new to the law as a result of the advent and implementation of the Internet and the increasing activities of bloggers. Read More...