§ 12-2506. Journalist’s privilege.

A.  As used in this section:

1.  "State proceeding" includes any proceeding or investigation before or by any judicial, legislative, executive or administrative body in this state;

2.  "Medium of communication" includes any newspaper, magazine, other periodical, book, pamphlet, news service, wire service, news or feature syndicate, broadcast station or network, cable television system, or record;

3.  "Information" includes any written, oral or pictorial news or other record;

4.  "Published information" means any information disseminated to the public by the person from whom disclosure is sought;

5.  "Unpublished information" includes information not disseminated to the public by the person from whom disclosure is sought, whether or not related information has been disseminated, and includes, but is not limited to, all notes, outtakes, photographs, tapes or other data of whatever sort not itself disseminated to the public through a medium of communication, whether or not published information based upon or related to such material has been disseminated;

6.  "Processing" includes compiling, storing and editing of information; and

7.  "Journalist" means any person who is a reporter, photographer, editor, commentator, journalist, correspondent, announcer, or other individual regularly engaged in obtaining, writing, reviewing, editing, or otherwise preparing news for any newspaper, periodical, press association, newspaper syndicate, wire service, radio or television station, or other news service.  Any individual employed by any such news service in the performance of any of the above-mentioned activities shall be deemed to be regularly engaged in such activities.  However, journalist shall not include any governmental entity or individual employed thereby engaged in official governmental information activities.

B.  No journalist shall be required to disclose in a state proceeding either:

1.  The source of any published or unpublished information obtained in the gathering, receiving or processing of information for any medium of communication to the public; or

2.  Any unpublished information obtained or prepared in gathering, receiving or processing of information for any medium of communication to the public; unless the court finds that the party seeking the information or identity has established by clear and convincing evidence that such information or identity is relevant to a significant issue in the action and could not with due diligence be obtained by alternate means.

This subsection does not apply with respect to the content or source of allegedly defamatory information, in a civil action for defamation wherein the defendant asserts a defense based on the content or source of such information.

Added by Laws 1978, c. 285, § 506, eff. Oct. 1, 1978.  Amended by Laws 2002, c. 468, § 36, eff. Nov. 1, 2002.