Posted on 06/05/2013 9:18:43 AM PDT by don-o
Whether bloggers count as journalists has mostly been a matter of esoterics for reporter types. But as Congress weighs a media shield law in response to the Associated Press/Justice Department subpoena scandal, the question is gaining an urgency that lawmakers are finding hard to ignore as they turn to writing the bill.
Speaking to reporters Tuesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., took on the issue—and stumbled.
"Who is a journalist is a question we need to ask ourselves," he said. "Is any blogger out there saying anything—do they deserve First Amendment protection? These are the issues of our times."
The verbal slipup aside (of course bloggers are covered under the Bill of Rights!), Graham's riffing on constitutional law exposes one of the age-old tensions between journalism as a product and journalism as an activity. What Graham really meant to ask was whether bloggers deserve the specific protections of the First Amendment that are granted to the press. But as the line between blogger and journalist has blurred, a far more relevant challenge is figuring out whether those protections apply to the behavior of finding and passing on (sometimes secret) information, or if they apply only to people with little plastic ID badges to prove their affiliation.
In some ways, what this episode really suggests is that it might be time to retire the word "blogger" as an artifact of the aughts.
Not OK - Vital!
I think we all understand why Lindsey would think this.
Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Yup - some of my best friends.....
Who gives a sh*t what Lindsey Graham thinks....
If he wants to persecute bloggers, let him amend the Bill of Rights or go f*** himself.
Oh... I get it now. I have to be a journalist in order to be given protection under the first amendment.
Clearly, the internet blogs have taken a front seat to providing a venue for all American’s to express their opinions without reproach.
Or am I missing something from Durbin and Graham here?
I’m sure the British wanted to silence the bloggers like Tom Paine too.
FULG
Of course they do. However, Graham doesn’t deserve re-election.
That there freedom of speech dealie covers a multitude of sins if that there freedom of the ‘press’, don't.
what a dolt 'she' is
Lindsey? Shut up...
No... Just...
Shut up.
The 1st Amendment isn’t about journalism. A journalist has no more right to free speech than a garbage collector. The moment the government determines who is a journalist and who isn’t, journalism will be nothing but propaganda for government.
FULG!
He may not be sure, but one thing I’m sure of-I’ll not vote for his ass EVER again.
SC Republicans, please please get a constitutional conservative to run against him this upcoming election. Lindsey Graham knows most of the information that we deserve is published through means of the web. Fire him, SC!
Goober isn’t even sure what the First Amendment is.
Ping!
What the hell is with him and his partner MeCain butting in!
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