|
Friday, April 21, 2006
House okays bill expanding protection to news sources
MANILA -- The House of Representatives has approved a bill that would exempt print, broadcast, and Internet media practitioners from revealing the sources of their stories.
"During these times of great challenges facing the nation, public information is a vital ingredient to national unity and to socio-economic and political development. The role of media in nation-building is clearly important," said House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr.
House Bill 4835 seeks to amend the Sotto Law to include broadcast and Internet media in the privilege statute allowing journalists to decline from revealing his or her source except when the court or Congress finds the revelation necessary for national security.
The bill, approved at the last day of session before the Lenten break, was principally authored by Deputy Speaker Raul del Mar, Cavite Representative Gilbert Remulla, and Manila Representative Ernesto Nieva.
Remulla explained that when the Sotto Law was passed, "electronic journalism was virtually non-existent, the news and wire agencies still had to be developed and recognized, and the Internet was not even a dream."
Del Mar said the bill recognizes the important role of media.
"The wisdom behind the law protecting the identity of news or information sources is to ensure that the spring of data for news or commentary does not dry up," said del Mar. (DBP/Sunnex)
(April 21, 2006 issue)
Write letter to the editor. Click here.
Join the Sun.Star message board. Click here. |
|
|
|
[return to top]
[home]
|
|
Korean accuses guard, ex-immigration man of threats