Questioning the Media: Chapter 16

4) Who is Judith Miller? Should the United States have a federal shield law to protect reporters?
Judith Miller is a reporter for the New York Times she spent 85 days in jail. Miller was sentenced to jail for refusing to testify and reveal her sources in a CIA investigation. Miller was convicted of many accounts of perjury and obstruction of justice. The United States should have a federal shield law to protect reporters. Reporters have the right for their safety to not reveal their sources. In some cases if a reporter were to reveal where they got their information they could be put into danger. However, most of the time this is not the case but if reporters were made to reveal their sources their sources would stop giving them their information.

6) Should the Fairness Doctrine be revived? Why or why not?
Yes, the Fairness Doctrine should be brought back. The Fairness Doctrine required holders of broadcast licenses to present the public with controversial issues of public importance and do it as honest and fair as possible. The basis of this doctrine sounds like a good idea. People would be better informed and hear both sides to issues instead of the one that is chosen for them to know. Under the implementation of the Fairness Doctrine people would be left up to make their own decisions on issues and would also be more informed.