Journalists and Confidential Sources Colliding Public Interests in the Age of the Leak
Journalists and Confidential Sources explores the fraught and widespread reliance by journalists on anonymous sources, whistleblowers, and others to whom they owe an obligation of confidentiality. It examines the difficulties afflicting such relationships; analyses the deteriorating "right to k...
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| Main Author | |
|---|---|
| Format | eBook Book |
| Language | English |
| Published |
United Kingdom
Routledge
2020
Taylor & Francis Group |
| Edition | 1 |
| Series | Routledge Research in Journalism |
| Subjects | |
| Online Access | Get full text |
| ISBN | 9781000245707 1000245705 9780367635015 9780367474126 0367474123 0367635011 |
| DOI | 10.4324/9781003035411 |
Cover
Table of Contents:
- Ambit claims for protection will not sway the court -- A fundamental tension -- The courts' approach in dealing with claims for source protection -- Australian Broadcasting Corporation v Kane 2020 -- Smethurst v Commissioner of Police 2020 -- Existence of a confidentiality undertaking -- Implied freedom of political communication -- Are the shield laws "working"? -- Shield laws are working -- Shield laws are not working -- Conclusion -- Part 3 Terminology, minefield, balancing interests, reforms -- 5 Threshold matters -- Introduction -- Different types of journalists' communications with contacts or sources -- More to "sources" than meets the eye -- Attribution, non-attribution, anonymity -- On-the-record, off-the-record, on background -- Anonymous sources and whistleblowers -- Leaks, leakers, and leaking -- Conclusion -- 6 The anonymous sources minefield -- Introduction -- Using anonymous sources without losing audience trust -- Leaks, confidentiality, and political machinations -- Ensuring the veracity and reliability of sources -- Motivations behind the reliance on anonymous sources -- Collapse of the obligation of confidentiality -- Disclosure is sought under the law -- The information is disclosed independently of journalist or source involvement -- The journalist or source considers the agreement frustrated or lapsed -- Disclosure is permitted under the agreed terms -- The source steps forward -- Challenges of entering into confidentiality undertakings -- Conclusion -- 7 Balancing competing interests -- Introduction -- Source protection a widely recognised right under pressure -- Weighing up the strength of source protection claims -- Balancing ethics code and the law -- Balancing journalists' claim for source protection in the "fake news" era -- Balancing competing public interests -- Balancing competing interests under the shield law
- Balancing reliance on anonymous sources with concerns about manipulation -- Conclusion -- 8 Contemplating the way forward -- Introduction -- Meaningful reform transcends law reform -- Self-help, house cleaning, and introspection -- Promoting professional hygiene in contacts with sources -- Reaffirming journalistic cultural authority amid declining public trust -- Recognising the limits of the confidentiality promise -- Level with audiences - show, don't just tell -- Reaffirming journalistic autonomy -- Keeping codes up to date -- Code reach and enforceability -- Reforming the law -- Uniform shield law -- Definitional issues -- Australian media's reform wish list -- Parliamentary Joint Committee on Intelligence and Security -- Senate Environment and Communications References Committee -- Global perspectives on reforms -- Complementing shield law with effective freedom of information and whistleblower laws -- Meeting the reform challenge honestly and resolutely -- Conclusion -- Part 4 Conclusion -- 9 The way ahead -- Introduction -- Steady global press freedom decline and grim prognosis -- Culture of secrecy and opaqueness in Australian governance -- Turbulence in the media industry -- Conclusion -- Index
- Cover -- Half Title -- Series -- Title -- Copyright -- Dedication -- Contents -- Acknowledgments -- Part 1 Overview -- 1 Journalists and their confidential sources: dicing with danger -- Introduction -- The age of the leak -- Freedom of expression, the right to know, and obstacles to information access -- Threats to journalists' confidential sources -- High stakes in exposing corruption, crime, wrongdoing, and injustice -- Conclusion -- 2 Free societies and the struggle for freedom of communication -- Introduction -- United Kingdom -- United States -- Attacks on freedom of expression from on high -- Pushing back against the attacks -- Leaks and the administration -- Canada -- New Zealand -- Australia -- Australian Security Intelligence Organisation Act 1979 (Cth) -- Australian Border Force Act 2015 (Cth) -- National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act 2018 (Cth) -- Telecommunications (Interception and Access) Act 1979 (Cth) -- Enforcement actions threatening journalists' sources -- Maintaining focus on strong, effective accountability -- Conclusion -- Part 2 Ethics codes and the law -- 3 Journalist-source confidentiality practice rules -- Introduction -- Ethics codes and claims for professional recognition -- Widespread use of anonymous sources -- Ambiguity in journalism practice codes on the use of anonymous sources -- Other ground rules and the Chatham House Rule -- Absolute protection or protection with ifs and buts in the codes? -- The regulatory force of professional practice codes -- Conclusion -- 4 Journalist-source confidentiality and the law -- Introduction -- The birth of Australian shield law - a journalist's "privilege" -- The patchwork of shield statutes -- Court's discretion to order disclosure -- A "privilege" or not? -- Who or what is a journalist? -- Loss of protection