Bill seeks to protect college reporters' sources

ANNAPOLIS — A bill that would allow student media organizations to keep the identity of confidential sources under wraps met little resistance in the state legislature Friday.

Although state shield law protects professional journalists from revealing sources, notes, or other information received in-confidence, wording in the law limits protection to journalists who are "employed." Delegate Sandy Rosenberg (D-Baltimore City) sponsored the bill to amend what many thought was a fundamental right of student reporters.

"Students working in classes or students who aren't being paid to work on a school newspaper aren't given the rights of a ‘normal' journalist," said Sarah Elfreth, a Towson University student who serves on the Board of Regents, a committee that oversees university system policy. "I think it's something people overlook. People just assume that they have these rights, but they don't."

The new bill would extend the shield law's protections to student journalists who receive academic credit for their investigations. Only students enrolled in a post-secondary institution and working on class projects or for university-sanctioned publications would be included.

Kevin Klose, the dean of the journalism school at this university, submitted written testimony in favor of the bill.

"Student journalists ... engage in serious journalistic work in the public interest that deserves protection equal with that of paid professionals," he wrote.

Although the bill was met with few questions and little vocal opposition, some said it still wouldn't offer universal protections to student journalists.

During the hearing, Delegate Susan K. McComas (R–Harford County) asked whether bloggers were currently or would be protected under the law. The answer was no — for now.

Klose also emphasized in his written testimony that high school students have produced substantial and important journalistic work, too, although they are not included in the legislation.

The Diamondback Editor in Chief Kevin Robillard questioned in his written testimony if the new bill would protect students that work for niche campus publications — such as La Voz Latina, The Public Asian and Terrapin Times — who do not receive monetary payment or academic credit for their work.

Supporters of the bill said the importance of extending the shield law to protect the rights of students who aren't paid to report came to light this fall in Illinois. Northwestern University undergraduates were forced to hand over their off-the-record information that they had obtained during work for the Medill Innocence Project to county prosecutors.

Students involved in The Innocence Project, which investigated possible wrongful convictions, are now embroiled in a legal battle with Illinois prosecutors and are fighting to keep their sources and notes confidential.

"This is not hypothetical — this is what prompted me to introduce this legislation," Rosenberg said during Friday's hearing in Annapolis. "Under current law, [students] are not afforded the same protection, though they are fulfilling the same function as they might a year later when they are hired to go to work for any of the media providers that are within the existing definition of the statute."

The bill will be put to a vote later this year.

apino@umdbk.com