The Gulf Times, a newspaper based out of Qatar, recently published a story chronicling a Northern Irish journalist’s ordeal before a court pressing her to release the names of real IRA operatives, which, if upheld, would have put her life in danger and put into serious doubt the committment of journalists to keep their sources confidential.  Thankfully, the judge ruled that she did not have to release the names.

Aside from the obvious and most pressing issue-that this journalist’s life would have been put in danger-in order for the profession to function, sources MUST be able to trust that journalists will honor confidentiality.  Otherwise a free and functional press cannot exist.  For all of the sensationalism and fluff that passes for news these days, journalism still, from time to time, does serve a vital service.  Without confidentiality, important stories about corruption and fraud would never come to light because whistleblowers would not be able to trust that their information would be held in confidence.  One only needs to look at the election conflict in Iran to see the importance confidentiality plays in getting stories told.  Very few if any of the people on the ground or inside the government would talk to journalists unless they felt that their confidences would be honored.  Otherwise, sources, journalists, and the profession itself would all be in doubt.  Thankfully, there are judges like the one in Northern Ireland who see the importance in upholding the sanctity of the source.

Copyright David R. Norton 2009