Do journalist shield laws protect bloggers? (in Illinois):
The statute defines "reporter" as "any person regularly engaged in the business of collecting, writing or editing news for publication through a news medium on a full-time or part-time basis." "News medium," in turn, means "any newspaper or other periodical issued at regular intervals whether in print or electronic format and having a general circulation" as well as broadcast media such as radio and television stations. [...]
With the proliferation of blogs, the question "Who is a reporter?" has gained prominence. Is a blogger a "reporter" within the meaning of Illinois' statute on reporter's privilege? The Illinois appellate courts haven't yet addressed that issue.
