Three Media Law Issues

The three media law issues I have chosen to discuss regard Censorship, Libel, and the Shield law. Of the three media law issues, Libel seems to obtain most of the attention in today's media. It has been an area of concern in journalism throughout its exsistence and thanks to a supreme court ruling in 1964 it has become even more problematic for those who fall victim to this. Clearly libel, which are legal claims for false statements of fact about a person, can be damaging to anyone who encounters it. However, it is not like libel is the number one option for journalists when they first hear a report. Consideration is taken in this day and age for the sake of accurate reporting, atleast in most cases. The fact that journalists have more freedom due to the 1964 ruling doesnt help in the prevention of its use either
Another common issue in journalism today is media censorship. While some forms of censorship seem only neccessary for the protection of our children and our nation, one major issue is the beleif that the government can regulate and control what news is and isn't reported. If this truly is the case, and there are seemingly unavoidable points that this could be, it can prove to be harmful to a society more than beneficial. Withholding information from the public not only creates grounds for conspiracy theorists but it can also create a feeling of distrust by the public.
The Final media law issue choosen was the shield law. Like the discussion we had in class friday, the shield law seems deemably situational. If you give someone your word, it your obligation as a person on a moral level to respect that. For example, if someone gives you information at the expensive of nto naming your source, would you leave that source nameless if it meant more recognition and profit for you personally? It is a difficult issue and it boils down to your integrity as a reporter and what you beleive provides a better outcome for the people.