RTDNA, as part of the Shield Law Coalition, believes It is critical that senators on the Judiciary Committee hear from their constituents before markup of S 448 occurs on Thursday, November 19. RTDNA members are asked to contact committee members and urge them to support the compromise bill, but to allow an up-or-down vote on the bill on November 19 to enable the legislative process to move forward – even if some senators might vote against the legislation.
It is also important to communicate that national security concerns, expressed by Senators in both parties, have been addressed – significant concessions were made in the compromise bill to take into account national security.
Democratic majorities in both chambers have improved the outlook for long-awaited media initiatives. Kathleen Kirby discusses Freedom of Information Issues pending in the 111th Congress.
On his first working day in office, President Obama acted to let the sunshine in on government. The new president declared “a new era of openness” as he signed documents reversing the secrecy policies that had been the hallmark of the Bush administration. But there was a hiccup on letting the news media cover the second taking of the oath of office. RTNDA President Barbara Cochran writes about Obama’s early steps to bring more transparency to his administration.
The Radio-Television News Directors Association applauds the approval Wednesday by the House Judiciary Committee of a federal shield law to protect journalists from being forced to disclose their confidential sources.
The Radio-Television News Directors Association applauds the reintroduction of a bipartisan bill to establish federal shield legislation to protect reporters from being forced to disclose their confidential sources.