Question

which of the following statements about shield laws is correct?

the u.s. has a national shield law that protects journalistic sources.

there is no national shield law protecting journalistic sources; however, some states do have shield laws.

the u.s. shield law protects most journalistic sources except in the case of national security threats.

Explanation:

Analyze the existence of a federal shield law

The United States Congress has never enacted a federal (national) shield law to protect journalists from revealing confidential sources in federal court.

Evaluate state-level protections

While there is no federal shield law, a significant majority of U.S. states (and the District of Columbia) have enacted their own statutory shield laws or recognize reporter's privilege through common law.

Select the correct statement

The statement "There is no national shield law protecting journalistic sources; however, some states do have shield laws" accurately describes the legal landscape in the United States.

Answer:

• (A) The U.S. has a national shield law that protects journalistic sources.
• (B) The U.S. shield law protects most journalistic sources except in the case of national security threats.
• (C) There is no national shield law protecting journalistic sources; however, some states do have shield laws. (Correct answer)