Tell Your Senator Why They Should Support the Federal Shield Law

Congress is in recess and members of the U.S. Senate are visiting their home states. This is a great time for you to speak to your senator and encourage him or her to support a federal shield law. S. 2035, “The Free Flow of Information Act” has been delayed for consideration until September. A vote on July 30 on a motion to proceed with debate fell eight votes short of the 60 needed. That vote was not on the merits of the shield law, but got caught in the crossfire between parties over an energy bill. In fact, some senators voted against the motion to proceed with debate even though they support S. 2035. Members of the coalition of media companies and journalism organizations, which includes RTNDA, have been assured that the shield law bill is now in the queue of legislation waiting for action before the end of the 110th Congress.

You can help by speaking to your senator and asking for his or her support of the revised version. Please let us know if you get your senator on the record in support of the bill because this will encourage Majority Leader Harry Reid to schedule the vote in September. The “Dear Colleague” letter from the Senate sponsors and these Talking Points may help you with these conversations.

Thanks for your efforts. With your help, we hope to see a federal shield law enacted this year.

Wise Words: RTNDA Launches the Speech Archive

Read past speeches give by broadcast legends who have been honored with RTNDA and RTNDF awards in the past. Famous names include Tom Brokaw, Christiane Amanpour, Bob Schieffer, Peter Jennings and more. 

RTNDA@NAB 2009 Call for Sessions

Tell us what topics you would like to see covered at RTNDA@NAB 2009, April 19-22 in Las Vegas. 

Click here to submit your session ideas electronically. 
Click here and submit your ideas via RTNDA.org.

Deadline for submitting session ideas is August 31.

RTNDF Announces Scholarship and Fellowship Recipients

RTNDF has awarded nine scholarships and two fellowships for 2008. The awards are made on a competitive basis with nearly half of the scholarships and fellowships dedicated to minorities, including those created by broadcast journalists Ed Bradley, Carole Simpson and Ken Kashiwahara.

Another Win for the First Amendment: Fourth Circuit Court Dismisses Defamation Suit Against Radio Talk Show Host

The court ruled that Randi Rhodes' criticism of a company that handled interrogations for the US Army at Abu Ghraib prison  was protected by the First Amendment. RTNDA joined several journalism companies and organizations in filing an amicus brief supporting Rhodes' First Amendment freedoms.

'Brave New World': Fred Young on the Future of Local TV News

Young, senior vice president of news for Hearst-Argyle Television, talks to TVNewsday's Harry Jessell about the changing newsroom, ethics, the FCC and VNRs, and more in Tuesday's edition. Young received RTNDF's First Amendment Service Award in 2002 and has been a member of RTNDA since 1970.

Keeping It Legal

Do you know...
* the difference between Fair Use vs. Free Use when it comes to Copyright Law?
* if a Shield Law exists in your state to protect reporters who work with confidential sources?
* when your station is at risk for "cyberlibel" with its blogs and message boards?
* what you have access to under the Freedom of Information Act?  How that applies to online records?
                                                                                                                                                               Being prepared when these questions come up is indispensable. These are just a few examples of the topics covered in Keeping it Legal, RTNDA's media law handbook for the newsroom.  It also makes great textbook or reference book.  

Until August 29, 2008, we're offering Keeping it Legal  to RTNDA Members for $35!  And this includes shipping!  The Non RTNDA member price is $45, and also includes shipping.

This Month in Communicator

The 2008 Women and Minorities Survey

Results from the latest RTNDA/Hofstra University Annual Survey show increases in the number of women and minorities working in—and leading—TV and radio newsrooms.