Protecting Confidential Sources

It is no secret that reporters traditionally protect their sources. In Federal judge refuses to force reporter to reveal sources, by The Associated Press,
“A federal judge decided yesterday that a reporter who used confidential sources in a story on export-conspiracy indictments would not have to reveal those sources to him, but it became public during the hearing that the journalist would be called to appear before a grand jury seeking the same information.”

While this article centers on Washington Times reporter Bill Gertz writing a story using confidential sources, it is not the first time a reporter has been asked to reveal their sources. Reporters claim if they disclose their sources, it will discourage future sources from coming forward and it is their way of protecting their sources from possible repercussion of writing the story.

The First Amendment decrees, “congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or the press…” but offers little guidance on disclosing sources. When should reporters reveal their sources?