Journalists taking the heat

It was recently reported in the Wall Street Journal that former USA Today journalist Toni Locy has been court-ordered to pay fines, that will grow larger each week, until she reveals her sources for articles written in 2001 about the anthrax attacks.

Starting last night at midnight Locy has to pay $500 per day this week, $1,000 per day next week and $5,000 per day every day after that until she either gives up her sources or returns to court on April 3 where the judge will "consider additional measures to get her to reveal her sources."

Locy, now a journalism professor, said she can't and won't be paying the fines, which the judge stipulated had to come from her personally and that the USA Today is not allowed to cover her contempt fines.

This situation is reminiscent of the Judith Miller case in 2005. The New York Times reporter refused to reveal to the court what government sources identified Valerie Plame as a CIA agent and spent 85 days in jail, until her source, Lewis "Scooter" Libby, gave her permission to reveal him in testimony.

In cases like these, journalists often feel they're doing the right thing by protecting sources they have pledged to keep confidential and speak in defense of the freedom of the press.

This can be a difficult issue to choose one side of, because there would certainly be instances where information needs to be investigated in the name of justice and security, but the rights of journalists allow them to do their job properly, completely and for the good of the public, so those should be respected.

Perhaps the practice of journalism and the codes of ethics should be more strict to minimize the use of confidential sources, but I think news organizations are worried about missing out on important information, if anonymity can't be guaranteed.

In the end, maybe the system is working in the best way it can, and journalists should face fines and jail terms to protect sources, until the sources come forward to give the court the information it needs.

Locy photo- © 2005 West Virginia University
Miller photo- Copyright 2008 NPR