Recent diaries, including
this hot one from Saturday are speculating that the Judith Miller imprisionment is a threat to journalism. Cited is the
Plain Dealer editor Doug Clifton's comments that he is sitting on two major stories that he won't publish for fear of consequences like Judith Miller.
After hearing this one editor's comments, some sentiments were along this line of "reasoning":
So all of you who delighted at Judith Miller finally getting her comeuppance, rejoice. The victory is truly yours today..
Implying that big, breaking, important stories would be buried because Judith Miller went to jail.
Hogwash.
The New York Times (registration) is reporting today that this is in fact, not the case.
In the wake of a decision by the editor of The Cleveland Plain Dealer to withhold two articles based on leaked government documents for fear of criminal prosecution, editors of major newspapers said last week they saw no reason to back off such stories.
A number of these editors said they were baffled by the paper's move.
Paul Steiger, managing editor of The Wall Street Journal, said that "if documents come to a reporter or news organization and the reporter has not done anything illegal to get the documents, I cannot understand what the basis for a criminal prosecution would be."
In a column on June 30, Doug Clifton, editor of The Plain Dealer, revealed his decision to withhold two investigative articles about local corruption because he believed the newspaper might be criminally prosecuted. He wrote that he was doing so even though both he and his reporters were prepared to go to jail if necessary.
And who exactly was the editor speaking for? The Times comments:
The Plain Dealer, Ohio's largest daily, is part of the Newhouse chain. Mr. Clifton said that Donald Newhouse, who is known to keep a close eye on the contents of his family's newspapers while encouraging aggressive reporting, was not consulted on the decision. He said his newspaper was continuing its investigations, but without citing "these golden documents" detailing government corruption.
So contrary to a few people shouting "fire" before any smoke or flames, the story is not dying. Furthermore:
But editors said their approach to using leaked documents was unchanged. Sandra Mims Rowe, editor of another Newhouse newspaper, The Oregonian in Portland, said, "I have never had any hesitation on publishing solid stories based on government documents we had, and I have never announced that we had any document except in a news story."
David Boardman, managing editor of The Seattle Times, which is controlled by the Blethen family, was among several editors who wondered aloud whether the ownership of broadcast stations and cable systems, licensed by the government, was affecting editors' ability to stand firm against government pressure.
"I'm fortunate to work for an independent publisher who has no hesitation to challenge government through journalism," Mr. Boardman said.
So, to paraphrase Mark Twain, the reports of the death of journalism (due to the lack of journalistic privilege) have been greatly exaggerated.