journalist's privilege
- noun
- /ˈdʒɜrnəlɪsts ˈprɪvɪlɪdʒ/
- Literature
:
privilegio del periodista
- She refused to disclose her source, citing journalist's privilege as her defense.
Examples
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Some states recognize journalist's privilege by statute, while others do not.
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The journalist's privilege protects sources from being disclosed.
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Several courts have debated the extent of journalist's privilege regarding confidential sources.
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Many believe that a journalist's privilege is essential for democracy.
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The court recognized the journalist's privilege, allowing her to protect her sources during the trial.
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During his testimony, he invoked journalist's privilege to avoid disclosing the identity of his informant.
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The legislation aims to strengthen journalist's privilege, ensuring reporters can refuse to reveal confidential information.
How Protected
Surface Forms
Morphology
journalist's + privilege
The phrase is a straightforward possessive composition: 'journalist's' (belonging to a journalist) + 'privilege' (a legal right), so a B1 learner who knows both words will infer it denotes a special legal right held by journalists. The specific legal nuance (refusing to reveal sources) follows naturally from the given meaning of 'privilege' and is therefore predictable rather than idiomatic.
Etymology
Journalist's privilege comes from the image of a journalist holding a locked notebook and a law-given privilege like a shield, so they can refuse to name a secret source even if a judge asks. That's why it means 'the right to refuse to reveal secret information or sources'.