cover image We're All Journalists Now: The Transformation of the Press and Reshaping of the Law in the Internet Age

We're All Journalists Now: The Transformation of the Press and Reshaping of the Law in the Internet Age

Scott Gant, . . Free Press, $26 (240pp) ISBN 978-0-7432-9926-8

In his first book, Gant, a law partner in Washington, D.C., and former counsel for the New Republic , attempts to update our slim definition of "journalist" for the Internet age. In this narrow volume, he casts a wide net. Adamant that journalism is an activity undertaken, and not a profession practiced, Gant invites us all to join the ranks of the press. He argues that the media's role as a check on government depends on both the expanded category of journalist and the unfettered freedom to report without fear of government reproach. Using specific landmark constitutional law cases, as well as contemporary examples, including the Valerie Plame case and the San Francisco Chronicle reporters who uncovered the BALCO scandal, Gant makes the case that the health of our democracy requires a press clause that entitles journalists to constitutional protection from revealing their sources. His argument draws parallels between colonial pamphleteers and present-day bloggers. His scope is radical, simultaneously calling for the enactment of federal shield laws for the press and a greatly expanded definition of who is a journalist (roughly, everyone). Gant's forward-thinking logic is presented convincingly, though he dismisses the most immediate problems with suspicious facility. (June)