Wired has an article by Media Hack - Adam Penenberg titled No Protection for Bloggers. The piece discusses if bloggers enjoy the same legal protection that journalists do.
But should bloggers receive protection under the law as regular reporters? Should they be able to maintain the confidentiality of their sources and not be forced to testify before grand juries or at trial?
Sadly, no, because contrary to conventional wisdom, journalists don't have these protections.
The gist of his article is that many states have laws the define what a journalist/reporter is, and bloggers don't fit the definition. Adam provides details on various state's definitions of a journalist, for example:
Arizona says a reporter is someone "engaged in newspaper, radio, television or reportorial work, or connected with or employed by a newspaper or radio or television station."
Many of the other state laws all contain some provision that you must be employed by a newspaper, radio or television station. Getting the laws re-written to include bloggers is next-to-impossible.
