Skip to main content

“I am a Canadian, free to speak without fear, free to worship in my own way, free to stand for what I think right, free to oppose what I believe wrong, or free to choose those who shall govern my country. This heritage of freedom I pledge to uphold for myself and all mankind.” ~~ John G. Diefenbaker

FELDSTED: Journalistic protection of sources works for the benefit of society most of the time, but is not inviolate


'Dark day for press freedom': Vice must give ISIS notes to police, top court rules 
Catharine Tunney  ~~  CBC News  ~~  Nov 30, 2018

A Vice Media reporter will have to hand over records of his conversations with an alleged ISIS member to police following a Supreme Court of Canada decision.  In the unanimous decision released Friday, the top court upheld a lower court's ruling regarding the work of reporter Ben Makuch. The case was seen as pitting journalists' interest in protecting their sources against the state's duty to investigate crimes.

CLICK HERE to read full story:


Freedom of the press does not remove a reporter’s ethical obligation to report a crime to authorities, or … to resist making relevant evidence available. Protecting sources does not include protecting criminals from arrest and facing due process. ISIS targets Canada and her allies.

No one blocked Makuch from writing his stories, or Vice Media from printing them. Press freedom was not interfered with.  Protecting sources is a time-honoured tradition in the media.  Journalists could not get to the roots of problems if they could not provide anonymity to those they interview.

That raises ethical concerns when the source is actively engaged in criminal activity. And that, is the issue the Supreme Court was dealing with.

Can the protection of public security and safety override the protection of sources?  The answer is ‘yes’ … provided that the journalist is given full opportunity to argue his case for protection.  It is a matter of applying common sense.

Journalistic protection of sources works for the benefit of society most of the time, but is not inviolate.

John Feldsted
Political Consultant & Strategist
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

FORSETH: Without a strong local presence, there is NO reason for anyone to tune in to local(?) radio

LOCAL HOMETOWN RADIO IS DYING … and without serious measures put in place, it will likely never see the light of day again. For well over four decades, the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) has presided over its’ demise, and for that I say, “Shame”. Without out a word to say enough was enough, the CRTC has allowed corporate Canada to buy up one radio station after the other, and then allowed them to slash staff to the point where some so-called local radio stations do nothing more than air programming that originates from communities well outside the region in which they are located. Case in point?   On CHNL* 610 in Kamloops, the morning show hosted by Vinnie and Randi, DOES NOT originate from Kamloops -- it doesn’t even originate here in BC. It’s a program that Stingray airs across multiple radio stations in Western Canada. It doesn’t end there. Not only are Vinnie and Rando doing mornings on CHNL, but they also show up on sister station Country 103 … and of course o...
5 comments
Read more

Conservative Economic Team Responds to Urgent Industry Concerns

 " For far too long, the BC NDP has ignored the economic challenges facing British Columbians. Manufacturing jobs are vanishing, forestry is in decline, and private sector employment growth has stagnated. Meanwhile, affordability has worsened for both families and businesses. British Columbians deserve better, and we’re here to deliver real solutions to rebuild our economy and create jobs that support everyday working people and their families ." – Gavin Dew, MLA and Shadow Minister for Jobs, Economy, Development, and Innovation.   December 3, 2024, Vancouver, BC – The Conservative economic team met today with business leaders and stakeholders to tackle critical issues impacting British Columbia’s economy. Attended by 9 critics from the Conservative Caucus, this meeting was convened by MLA Gavin Dew – Shadow Minister for Jobs, Economic Development, and Innovation - as a direct response to an October 30th open letter from seven of the province’s largest industry associations. ...
Post a Comment
Read more

WARD STAMER -- We need certainly in our markets, and certainly in our fibre supply, before we no longer have a forest industry in this province

Image Government of BC I think we all realize that the threat of Trump’s 25% tariff is like other provocative statements he’s made in the past. That said, we should have reason to be concerned. Tariffs don’t benefit anyone. A tariff of that magnitude – included on our own softwood lumber exports, will make things more expensive for Americans, and cause friction in the supply chain. If imposed, a twenty-five percent tariff will be equally detrimental to the citizens and economy of the United States, as well as the people of BC. There are two things, however, of equal concern to the threat of punitive tariffs by incoming U.S. President-elect Donald Trump. One is our antiquated stumpage fees. It is a legacy from decades ago, and one incapable of responding to changing market conditions. We need to revamp our stumpage system to better reflect market conditions, and our economic costs. Instead, a value-added tax system will be instantly responsive to current market conditions and will encou...
Post a Comment
Read more

Labels

Show more