More journalists? Or fewer? Who will decide?

Who’s a journalist? Who will decide? Will bloggers rule the world? Will the First Amendment wither online? Do Big Govmint and Big Corpokleptocracy have motives for seeking to control the answers to these questions?

None of these questions can be considered in isolation. So let’s begin with a case little-noticed by the general public: “Three blogs which published sensitive information about upcoming Apple products could be made to disclose where the leaks came from. A California judge said in a preliminary ruling that bloggers should not have the same protection afforded to journalists under US law.” (Read the story.)

Argue pro or con if you wish. But consider: This ruling limits those who can call themselves journalists and, more important, who can seek protections under state shield laws allowing journalists to conceal their whistle-blowing sources.

Lost in the hue and cry over First Amendment rights to free speech and free press will be a very interesting numbers game.

(Read on at your peril.)

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