Southern Oregon University hosted more than 100 students and community members in the Rogue River Room of the Stevenson Union on Monday to listen to a panel discussion on shield laws and first amendment rights of journalists at the annual Thomas W. Pyle First Amendment Forum.
Lucy Dalglish, executive director, from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press was the event’s keynote speaker. Dalglish discussed the history of shield laws in the U.S. and briefly spoke about upcoming legislation to create a federal shield law.
The RCFP defends reporters facing subpoenas to disclose the identity of confidential sources. The group is also involved in other First Amendment related issues. Dalglish discussed these issues in the context of the services journalists provide to society.
“Journalists in this country have a long tradition of revealing important information in times of national crisis,” she said while discussing the importance of shield laws
Joining Dalglish on the panel were Celina Montoya and Kim Wetzel of the Medill Innocence Project at Northwestern University, a project dedicated to giving journalism students experience investigating wrongful convictions.
State shield laws were created in 36 states as well as the District of Columbia following a landmark Supreme Court case in 1972, Branzburg v. Hayes, when the Court ruled that the First Amendment could not be used to protect journalists summoned before a grand jury. Groups like the RCFP continue to advocate for better federal protection for journalists, but the debate is not easy.
“It’s the most frustrating, ridiculous system in the world,” Dalglish said.
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