Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/134037
4A Daily News – Saturday, June 1, 2013 Opinion DAILY NEWS RED BLUFF What is a journalist? TEHAMA COUNTY T H E V O I C E O F T E H A M A C O U NTY S I N C E 1 8 8 5 Greg Stevens, Publisher gstevens@redbluffdailynews.com Chip Thompson, Editor editor@redbluffdailynews.com Editorial policy The Daily News opinion is expressed in the editorial. The opinions expressed in columns, letters and cartoons are those of the authors and artists. Letter policy The Daily News welcomes letters from its readers on timely topics of public interest. All letters must be signed and provide the writer's home street address and home phone number. Anonymous letters, open letters to others, pen names and petition-style letters will not be allowed. Letters should be typed and cannot exceed two double-spaced pages or 500 words. When several letters address the same issue, a cross section of those submitted will be considered for publication. Letters will be edited. Letters are published at the discretion of the editor. Mission Statement We believe that a strong community newspaper is essential to a strong community, creating citizens who are better informed and more involved. The Daily News will be the indispensible guide to life and living in Tehama County. We will be the premier provider of local news, information and advertising through our daily newspaper, online edition and other print and Internet vehicles. The Daily News will reflect and support the unique identities of Tehama County and its cities; record the history of its communities and their people and make a positive difference in the quality of life for the residents and businesses of Tehama County. How to reach us Main office: 527-2151 Classified: 527-2151 Circulation: 527-2151 News tips: 527-2153 Sports: 527-2153 Obituaries: 527-2151 Photo: 527-2153 On the Web www.redbluffdailynews.com Fax Newsroom: 527-9251 Classified: 527-5774 Retail Adv.: 527-5774 Legal Adv.: 527-5774 Business Office: 527-3719 Address 545 Diamond Ave. Red Bluff, CA 96080, or P.O. Box 220 Red Bluff, CA 96080 As amateur news hounds gain power and influence through social media, the definition of "journalist" has ripened for philosophical debate. But now it's becoming a legal issue — one that could hamper efforts to protect the news profession at the very time federal lawmakers are awakening to the need to do so. Following disclosure of government scrutiny of the Associated Press in connection with leaks of sensitive material, President Obama urged passage of a new shield law to cover journalists. Versions of the bill were quickly introduced in the House and Senate, each requiring the federal government to convince a judge about the significance of information possessed by journalists before their documents could be seized and their sources exposed. One of the authors of the Senate measure, Democrat Charles Schumer of New York, said the bill "would balance national security needs against the public's right to the free flow of information." But Schumer's colleague Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) raised the question, "What is a journalist today?" Durbin went on to ask, "Does it include a blogger? Does it include someone who's tweeting? Are these people journalists and entitled to constitutional protection?" The House and Senate bills differ on this key point. The Senate version defines persons to be covered as those whose "primary intent" is to disseminate public news or information. The description is lengthy and so broad that it could very well apply to anyone with access to the Internet or social media — which is to say, everyone. The House measure, introduced by Rep. Ted Poe (RTexas), is more focused. It defines a journalist as someone gathers and reports news "for financial gain or livelihood." Poe's legislation has broad support. Yet, in the digital age, can a law protecting news flow be so narrowly tailored that it covers only those who earn their living as journalists? Forty states plus the District of Columbia have some form of shield law, but none exists on the federal level. State protections differ widely, and in many cases utilize antiquated language to describe the function of journalists, by limiting their work to newspapers, magazines and con- ventional broadcasting. Courts in those who earn a living from New Jersey and California, have their craft, meaning they might be expected to bring a ruled that bloggers are measure of professionalso entitled to protecal responsibility to tion under state shield handling of sensitive laws. material. This goes beyond I've written previsemantics. One can ously that the term easily imagine a situa"citizen journalist" is tion similar, say, to the an oxymoron, because Boston Marathon journalism is a profesbombing, in which sion for which training classmates of a possiis requisite. However, ble suspect distribute when it comes to proinformation via the Peter tection under law, I do Internet. Should their not believe such rights sources be protected? can be restricted as Schumer first introthey are in the House duced a version of his bill. If we are to have a shield law in 2009, but it ran into trouble after the online federal shield law, then the Sengroup WikiLeaks began publish- ate measure provides the more ing a trove of classified govern- reasonable approach, even ment documents, causing law- though its definition of journalmakers to stall on the very ques- ism is more sweeping. To answer Sen. Durbin's tion of who deserves protection. Marshall McLuhan's pre- questions: Are all tweeters jourscient discussion of the medium nalists? No. Are those who seek and the message still haunts us. to distribute information entitled To some, format has little or no to some level of protection from relevance in defining journalism; unreasonable government scrutiwhat matters is content. To oth- ny? Yes. ers, the media must be defined, Peter Funt's new book, and as such limited, lest shield laws apply to everyone with a "Cautiously Optimistic," is mobile device. To authors of the available through Amazon.com House bill, journalists are only and CandidCamera.com. Funt Your officials STATE ASSEMBLYMAN — Dan Logue, 1550 Humboldt Road, Ste. 4, Chico, CA 95928, 530-895-4217 STATE SENATOR — Jim Nielsen, 2635 Forest Ave., Ste. 110, Chico, CA 95928, (530) 879-7424, senator.nielsen@senate.ca.gov GOVERNOR — Jerry Brown, State Capitol Bldg., Sacramento, CA 95814; (916) 445-2841; Fax (916) 5583160; E-mail: governor@governor.ca.gov. U.S. REPRESENTATIVE — Doug LaMalfa 506 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, DC 20515, 202-2253076. U.S. SENATORS — Dianne Feinstein (D), One Post Street, Suite 2450, San Francisco, CA 94104; (415) 393-0707. Fax (415) 3930710. Barbara Boxer (D), 1700 Montgomery St., Suite 240, San Francisco, CA 94111; (510) 286-8537. Fax (202) 224-0454. Commentary Packing and unpacking I elected to take four years of Latin in high school. It seemed like a good idea at the time, and it was supposedly more academically challenging according to those whom I consulted in the eighth grade. Being a dead language, Latin was certainly challenging, especially if you didn't do your homework until just before class. I have found it somewhat helpful in reading Italian, French, and Spanish in a very limited way; however, I can attest to being able to read the back of a dollar bill because of my Latin training. One of the words I remember from reading about Caesar's Gallic wars was impedimenta; the word generally described all of the baggage or equipment carried by an army. The word is also related to impediment which is an obstacle to achieving a goal. As we were packing to return home from our visit to Sedona, AZ over the Memorial Day weekend, I began to think about the various impedimenta we carry on our trip, mostly stuff we would not have thought of just a few years ago. In 1997 we spent a month in France. For that trip we packed an English-French dictionary, many rolls of film, two 35mm SLR's with interchangeable lenses, various maps obtained from Michelin, a travel guide for Paris, another for Provence, French currency we purchased at a local bank, traveler's checks, binoculars, some reading material, notebooks, pens and pencils, a flashlight, a compass, and three large suitcases. These days our impedimenta is lighter, but just as numerous and easier to misplace upon repacking. Instead of film cameras we take a single digital camera with a telescopic lens, a lap top and an I Pad, a Kindle, I Phones, charger cables for cell phones, lap tops, camera batteries, I Pad's, and Kindles, various USB cables to connect just about everything, a car charger for various devices, no travelers checks, little cash, a GPS and credit cards. We also pack smaller bags because of airline restrictions. This time we used Southwest Airlines which allows free baggage checking, and that was a relief, particularly at the time of boarding when navigating their narrow aisles to find a seat; elbow room was at a premium, and I felt cramped while doing the Sudoku in their travelers' magazine. My wife is very good at packing, and I am not very neat at unpacking. I do lug luggage fairly well, and I don't mind a heavy backpack. We make a good pair. On this trip we rented a car and took turns driving while listening to Seri on my wife's I Phone for directions. Seri was pretty good, but she had trouble with appropriate pronunciations. For examples, she pronounced Benicia as if the "c" were not the "sh" sound and the "i" was a long "e". Seri pronounced "San Mateo" as if it were "San Mateeo". She got the streets, the turns, the mergers, and what to rant. Our flight from do at the various roundPhoenix was delayed abouts correct, and so two hours, and our we only got lost when attempt to cross the we didn't use her serBay Bridge took more vices. patience than usual, Arizona is quite varbut we arrived home ied; we saw scenery last night and slept reminiscent of Lassen very well in our own Park, Death Valley, and bed. the moon. It is a land of This morning we silhouettes; at both sunbegan the unpacking rise and sunset you see process; dirty clothes the picturesque outlines went into the laundry of various almost Joe hamper, credit card unimaginable rock forreceipts into the spemations and strange cial box, clean clothes outlines of various unfolded and put cacti. There are cacti away, suitcases in with flowers on them as their closet in the garage, and well as prickles. We saw more people travel- the miscellaneous impedimenta ing with dogs than on any previ- in their proper places. We will ous trip; the dogs ranged in size upload and cull or edit pictures from hand held to gargantuan, as soon, perhaps even printing out my grandsons would describe particular favorites, or at least them. (They use Endless Alpha- sending them across cyberspace bet on our I Pad and have to family. The most important thing acquired a wide ranging vocabulary for their age level.) We saw from the trip needs no unpackdogs in stores, on sidewalks, in ing; it is the memories of the outside cafes, and in some smiles, hugs, anecdotes, and restaurants; all seemed to be kisses our family exchanges on well mannered, and their com- each visit. They are not impedipanions seemed happy.(I wish I menta, but incentive for us to could say the same for the bark- travel again to renew the family ing dog behind our backyard bonds and build the family fence that seems to take offense memories that are woven into at me whenever I step into my the story of our lives. own yard.) While I never once Joe Harrop is a retired had to worry about dog dropeducator with more than 30 pings wherever we walked, I did have to work to avoid the vari- years of service to the North ous water dishes placed at the State. He can be reached at entrance to every store or restau- DrJoeHarrop@sbcglobal.net. Harrop