Shield Law

Are Bloggers Journalist?

Well, if the new Federal Shield Law is passed, then no they aren't. The new law is designed to protect the rights of journalist and to do this then a "journalist" needs to be defined. According to the law, a journalist is:

"any entity that disseminates information by print, broadcast, cable, satellite, mechanical, photographic, electronic, or other means and that publishes a newspaper, book, magazine, or other periodical in print or electronic form; operates a radio or television station (or network of such stations), cable system, or satellite carrier, or channel or programming service for any such station, network, system, or carrier; or operates a news agency or wire service."

The co-author of the bill, U.S. Senator Richard Luger (R-Ind), says a bloggers would "progably not" be considered a journalist under the new legislation.

I have a few issues. First, why do we need to define a journalist, doesn't the First Amendment already serve the function to protect the journalist, and finally why would a tabloid rate higher in the journalism food chain over a blogger?

I may not consider myself a journalist but I know there are many qualified bloggers that are.