Free Flow Information Act

Mike Moates

The Free Flow of Information Act has progressed enough to be considered before the Senate Judiciary Committee. The language in this bill changes the definition of who is a journalist. The Free Flow of Information Act states that “A person with the primary intent to investigate events and procure material in order to disseminate to the public news or information…” is protected.

This is good news for students, college and high school alike. Before this bill there was a financial requirement for being defined and protected as a journalist. Because students aren’t paid for their work their rights were defined differently than journalists with major publications such as the New York Times.

Larger publications have a great deal more resources than student publications. Frank LoMonte, Executive Director of the Student Press Law Center states that “the New York Times has a huge legal department, student journalists don’t have those kind of resources.”

What the Free Flow of Information Act will do is allow students and unpaid journalists a great deal more freedom in production of news stories. Once passed this bill will protect all journalists, paid or not. This is an important step in bringing student coverage into a similar playing field as the rest of the professional world of journalism.

The Free Flow of Information Act will allow journalism to become a much more inclusive environment. By removing the financial requirement to be considered a journalist more people will be encouraged to seek out information and present it to the public.

While the bill is not yet in effect it has been gaining momentum within the government, passing the House and moving onto the Senate after compromises were made between the government and news organizations. If passed, the Free Flow Information Act will allow journalists (paid or unpaid) in all areas of work more freedoms and protection.