Do reporters need a federal shield law?

First amendment advocates say the Congress is working on the best chance in years for a shield law, that would do more to protect journalists from divulging confidential sources. But the proposal also defines who is a reporter, which some regard as a deal with the devil.

Guests

• Floyd Abrams: First Amendment lawyer and partner at Cahill, Gordon & Reindel. He represented Judith Miller in the Valerie Plame leak case. He's the author of "Speaking Freely: Trials of the First Amendment." (2005)
• Randall Eliason: Former federal prosecutor and professor of law at American University and George Washington University. For seven years he was a prosecutor in the Public Corruption/Government Fraud section in the U.S. Attorney's office for the District of Columbia.

Resources

• Frontline: "Should There be a Shield Law?"
• About Randall Eliason
• Floyd Abrams' 2005 testimony on shield law