Good news, especially for those of us who use confidential sources:

“WASHINGTON–A congressional panel on Wednesday voted, against the Bush administration’s wishes, to shield journalists including advertising-supported bloggers from having to reveal their confidential sources in many situations.

By a voice vote only after politicians spent nearly two hours airing various misgivings, the U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee approved an amended version of the Free Flow of Information Act. Chiefly sponsored by Reps. Rick Boucher (D-Va.) and Mike Pence (R-Ind.), it proposes protection for a wider set of people than previous years’ versions.

“Today, we are reclaiming one of the most fundamental principles enshrined by the founding fathers in the First Amendment of the Constitution,” Committee Chairman John Conyers (D-Mich.) said before the vote.

In response to concerns raised by the Bush administration and other politicians, the revised bill attempts to exclude the “casual blogger” from reaping those benefits by stipulating the protections apply only to those who derive “financial gain or livelihood” from the journalistic activity, Boucher said Wednesday. That broad rule could, however, include part-time writers who receive even a trickle of revenue from Google Ads or Blogads.com.”

This is important from several angles, notwithstanding the recognition that some Bloggers are in fact members of the NEW media. It is however not an absolute protection.

“In the approved version, people eligible for the privilege could be forced to reveal their sources when it’s necessary to prevent an “act of terrorism” against the United States or its allies, when it’s clear that crimes have been committed, when “significant specified harm” to national security could occur, or when trade secrets, nonpublic personal information or health records are compromised in violation of existing laws. The person seeking to compel the journalist to turn over the information would also have to exhaust “all reasonable alternative sources.” Some politicians said even more exceptions are needed.

Boucher’s amendment also specified that “foreign powers or agents of foreign powers”–including a government-controlled newspaper–and any “foreign terrorist organization” designated by the Secretary of State cannot receive the protections.”