美国《新闻法》立法受阻，却在中国宣传系统中引发“大讨论”
有关新闻法的讨论在中国是一个十分敏感的话题，尽管在中国社交媒体上没有公开表达，但是却在宣传系统内部引发讨论。
2023年6月美国《新闻法》由美国国会参众两院两党议员共同提出该提案，由两位联邦众议员杰米·拉斯金（Jamie Raskin） 和凯文·基利 （Kevin Kiley）发起的《保护记者免受国家间谍剥削（新闻）法》（Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act）提案，此前已在众议院司法委员会通过。
而在今年1月在美国国会众议院获得两党议员一致通过的《新闻法》在参议院未能通过，原因是共和党参议员汤姆·科顿(Tom Cotton)的反对。
有关新闻法的讨论在中国是一个十分敏感的话题，尽管在中国社交媒体上没有公开表达，但是却在宣传系统内部引发讨论。
《新闻法》全称《防止国家不当监控新闻记者法案》(Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying (PRESS) Act)旨在保护记者免受不必要的政府监视和攻击，这种监视使追究政府责任变得更加困难，并损害宪法第一修正案所保障的新闻自由。目前还没有此类联邦保护法，即没有法律限制或阻止政府从电话公司、电子邮件提供商和其它第三方秘密获取记者的资料或记录以识别其消息来源。
在此之前，美国司法部秘密扣押了《华盛顿邮报》、CNN 和《纽约时报》记者的记录，这对记者和机密消息来源人交谈并将信息告知公众的能力产生寒蝉效应。
2017年，前福克斯新闻记者凯瑟琳·赫里奇(Catherine Herridge)报道了联邦调查局(FBI)对位于弗吉尼亚州阿灵顿的管理技术大学(University of Management and Technology，以下简称UMT)的创办人华裔美国人陈燕平(Yanping Chen的音译)及其大学与中国军方关系的调查。尽管FBI最终未起诉陈燕平，但相关信息泄露引发法律诉讼。
陈燕平的父亲是中国解放军少将陈彬。她1987年带着女儿由北京来到美国，于1999年取得乔治·华盛顿大学公共政策博士学位，并于2001年入籍。
陈燕平在2018年将FBI、国防部等执法机构以违反《隐私法》为由告上法庭，要求联邦政府对选择性地向福克斯新闻泄露在FBI调查期间收集的有关她的信息承担责任。之后华盛顿特区地方法院两次裁定赫里奇必须透露消息来源，但她拒绝服从，并对法院接下来的藐视法庭裁决提出上诉。
2023年9月，赫里奇在提供审前宣誓供证(deposition)时，仍拒绝透露2017年报导的消息来源，此举违反了华盛顿特区法官克里斯托弗·库柏(Christopher Cooper)8月下达必须公布消息来源的命令。赫里奇与福克斯新闻曾以美国宪法第一修正案保障新闻自由为由，双双请求法院驳回传票，但被库柏拒绝。
2024年2月29日，赫里奇被判藐视法庭，每天罚款800美元，直到交待消息来源为止。不过，法官库柏同意刑责延缓运行30天，使其有时间提出上诉。
11月中旬，此案再次在哥伦比亚特区巡回上诉法院进行口头辩论，三名法官中的两名表现出了不太支持取消赫里奇藐视法庭令的态度。
其中，一位法官在评论中表示，任何媒体特权都会引发关于谁有资格成为记者的棘手划线问题：“我们现在处于社交媒体时代，大家都躲在推特后面，躲在其他社交媒体后面。你到底在保护谁呢？”
而《新闻法》旨在保护信息的自由流通、防止政府越权，得到新闻和媒体自由组织的广泛支持。
美国有48个州和首都华盛顿哥伦比亚特区都对新闻记者特权提供某种形式的保护法案，但各州的保护措施差别很大。
目前尚无联邦级别的保护法，从法律上限制或阻止政府从电话公司、电子邮件提供商和其它第三方秘密获取记者的通讯记录以识别其消息来源。
《新闻法》正是为填补这一法律空白，防止政府滥权并保护信息流通的自由。
2024年1月，《新闻法》在众议院获得两党议员的全票通过。然而，美国候任总统特朗普11月20日在社交平台Truth Social上明确反对，呼吁共和党“否决这个法案”。12月10日，《新闻法》参议员汤姆·科顿在参议院阻止了法案的通过。
这位议员表示：“这个法案是对国家安全的威胁，也是对‘法律面前人人平等’的侮辱。此法将把媒体变成一个受保护的阶级，赋予他们其他任何美国公民都无法享受的特权。”
美国新闻自由记者委员会政策主任加布·罗特曼(Gabe Rottman)称之为“常识性法案”，强调“现在是时候推进这一关键保护措施了。”
这项法案也是在对当选总统特朗普第二任期内，预防性加强对新闻记者打压的保护，同时也是对美国在新闻自由立法领域具有重要意义。
虽然美国对于《新闻法》的颁布暂时停止了脚步，预计会在明年一月提交给拜登政府作最后决定。
这项立法虽然引用的两个来源中有一个剑指中国，也在中国媒体内部上掀起讨论。
对于美国言论自由的保护在中国传播学经典案例里，是《纽约时报》诉沙利文案。
1960年3月23日，《纽约时报》接到一个支持马丁·路德·金民权组织的一份广告，该广告呼吁民众支持并资助马丁·路德·金领导的黑人平权运动。
1960年3月29日，《纽约时报》配以巨型大写字母的“关注他们高涨的呼声”（Heed Their Rising Voices）标题，刊登了这一广告。
当时任阿拉巴马州首府蒙哥马利市公共事务专员的沙利文看到报纸以后，向阿拉巴马州蒙哥马利郡巡回法庭提起诉讼。他的诉讼理由是：虽然这则广告不指明提及的“南方违法者”指的就是他，但由于他是事件发生时负责警察工作的市专员，这则广告实际上是在对他含沙射影。他认为，广告是失实的，警察既没有包围校园，也没有关闭餐厅，警察仅逮捕马丁·路德·金四次，而且马丁·路德·金家的爆炸案也并非警察所为。该广告中涉及的失实内容将在公众脑海中形成对他形象不利的印象——这一指控甚至得到当地民众的证词。
因此，沙利文认为对蒙哥马利市警察的指控抵毁了他个人的名誉，遂向蒙哥马利县巡回法院提出诽谤诉讼广告侵害了他的名誉权，要求法院判决纽约时报向他赔偿50万美元。
最终，该案最终的判决赋予了媒体批评政府机关、政府官员和公众人物几乎不受限制的“绝对权利”。
尽管北京对于宣传系统和教育系统有着重要的“权力覆盖”这样的经典传播案例备受新闻学相关专业人士熟知。
中共十分重视宣传系统，对于宣传系统的管控可以是前所未有。此前，中共纪委将中宣部副部长张建春终止二十大代表资格，并带走调查。不过，此举也说明在宣传系统中“忠诚”与“不忠诚”显而易见。
请同时参阅：
中国新闻媒体一直被认为是“喉舌”、“传声筒”“宣传工具”其撰写的内容毫无任何新闻价值可言，但是随着民间对于舆论管控的声讨，中国一些杂志和官媒开始出现新文学创作形式。
在中国常见获取新闻信息的“微信公众号”上，时常可以看到官媒使用一些十分简略的标语来报道“所谓事件”比如“惊！某地出现重大安全事故”、“避雷！专家说食用不安全”等诸如此类适应中国社媒的传播方式。
一位来自中国高层宣传系统的官员表示，宣传与网信是一个协调部门，即宣传系统撰写的一些被认为是不符合日后的宣传内容，网信会对此进行处理。
这些内容处于两种不同的舆论阵地，前一秒符合，后一秒不符合，风向的转换就需要舆情系统来控制，比如此前备受关注的“郑州大学生夜骑事件”。
尽管在中国讨论有关新闻法的核心问题是令人不愉快的，但是中国媒体一直将它们的员工称为记者或是编辑，也有类似于记者保护协会的组织“中国记协”。
以下是美国《新闻法》的全文：
118th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. 2074
To maintain the free flow of information to the public by establishing appropriate limits on the federally compelled disclosure of information obtained as part of engaging in journalism, and for other purposes.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
June 21, 2023
Mr. Wyden (for himself, Mr. Lee, and Mr. Durbin) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
A BILL
To maintain the free flow of information to the public by establishing appropriate limits on the federally compelled disclosure of information obtained as part of engaging in journalism, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. Short title.
This Act may be cited as the “Protect Reporters from Exploitative State Spying Act” or the “PRESS Act”.
SEC. 2. Definitions.
In this Act:
(1) COVERED JOURNALIST.—The term “covered journalist” means a person who regularly gathers, prepares, collects, photographs, records, writes, edits, reports, investigates, or publishes news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public.
(2) COVERED SERVICE PROVIDER.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—The term “covered service provider” means any person that, by an electronic means, stores, processes, or transmits information in order to provide a service to customers of the person.
(B) INCLUSIONS.—The term “covered service provider” includes—
(i) a telecommunications carrier and a provider of an information service (as such terms are defined in section 3 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153));
(ii) a provider of an interactive computer service and an information content provider (as such terms are defined in section 230 of the Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 230));
(iii) a provider of remote computing service (as defined in section 2711 of title 18, United States Code); and
(iv) a provider of electronic communication service (as defined in section 2510 of title 18, United States Code) to the public.
(3) DOCUMENT.—The term “document” means writings, recordings, and photographs, as those terms are defined by Federal Rule of Evidence 1001 (28 U.S.C. App.).
(4) FEDERAL ENTITY.—The term “Federal entity” means an entity or employee of the judicial or executive branch or an administrative agency of the Federal Government with the power to issue a subpoena or issue other compulsory process.
(5) JOURNALISM.—The term “journalism” means gathering, preparing, collecting, photographing, recording, writing, editing, reporting, investigating, or publishing news or information that concerns local, national, or international events or other matters of public interest for dissemination to the public.
(6) PERSONAL ACCOUNT OF A COVERED JOURNALIST.—The term “personal account of a covered journalist” means an account with a covered service provider used by a covered journalist that is not provided, administered, or operated by the employer of the covered journalist.
(7) PERSONAL TECHNOLOGY DEVICE OF A COVERED JOURNALIST.—The term “personal technology device of a covered journalist” means a handheld communications device, laptop computer, desktop computer, or other internet-connected device used by a covered journalist that is not provided or administered by the employer of the covered journalist.
(8) PROTECTED INFORMATION.—The term “protected information” means any information identifying a source who provided information as part of engaging in journalism, and any records, contents of a communication, documents, or information that a covered journalist obtained or created as part of engaging in journalism.
(9) SPECIFIED OFFENSE AGAINST A MINOR.—The term “specified offense against a minor” has the meaning given that term in section 111(7) of the Adam Walsh Child Protection and Safety Act of 2006 (34 U.S.C. 20911(7)).
SEC. 3. Limits on compelled disclosure from covered journalists.
In any matter arising under Federal law, a Federal entity may not compel a covered journalist to disclose protected information, unless a court in the judicial district in which the subpoena or other compulsory process is, or will be, issued determines by a preponderance of the evidence, after providing notice and an opportunity to be heard to the covered journalist, that—
(1) disclosure of the protected information is necessary to prevent, or to identify any perpetrator of, an act of terrorism against the United States; or
(2) disclosure of the protected information is necessary to prevent a threat of imminent violence, significant bodily harm, or death, including specified offenses against a minor.
SEC. 4. Limits on compelled disclosure from covered service providers.
(a) Conditions for compelled disclosure.—In any matter arising under Federal law, a Federal entity may not compel a covered service provider to provide testimony or any document consisting of any record, information, or other communications stored by a covered provider on behalf of a covered journalist, including testimony or any document relating to a personal account of a covered journalist or a personal technology device of a covered journalist, unless a court in the judicial district in which the subpoena or other compulsory process is, or will be, issued determines by a preponderance of the evidence that there is a reasonable threat of imminent violence unless the testimony or document is provided, and issues an order authorizing the Federal entity to compel the disclosure of the testimony or document.
(b) Notice to court.—A Federal entity seeking to compel the provision of testimony or any document described in subsection (a) shall inform the court that the testimony or document relates to a covered journalist.
(c) Notice to covered journalist and opportunity To be heard.—
(1) IN GENERAL.—A court may authorize a Federal entity to compel the provision of testimony or a document under this section only after the Federal entity seeking the testimony or document provides the covered journalist on behalf of whom the testimony or document is stored pursuant to subsection (a)—
(A) notice of the subpoena or other compulsory request for such testimony or document from the covered service provider not later than the time at which such subpoena or request is issued to the covered service provider; and
(B) an opportunity to be heard before the court before the time at which the provision of the testimony or document is compelled.
(2) EXCEPTION TO NOTICE REQUIREMENT.—
(A) IN GENERAL.—Notice and an opportunity to be heard under paragraph (1) may be delayed for not more than 45 days if the court involved determines there is clear and convincing evidence that such notice would pose a clear and substantial threat to the integrity of a criminal investigation, or would present an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, including specified offenses against a minor.
(B) EXTENSIONS.—The 45-day period described in subparagraph (A) may be extended by the court for additional periods of not more than 45 days if the court involved makes a new and independent determination that there is clear and convincing evidence that providing notice to the covered journalist would pose a clear and substantial threat to the integrity of a criminal investigation, or would present an imminent risk of death or serious bodily harm, including specified offenses against a minor, under current circumstances.
SEC. 5. Limitation on content of information.
The content of any testimony, document, or protected information that is compelled under sections 3 or 4 shall—
(1) not be overbroad, unreasonable, or oppressive, and, as appropriate, be limited to the purpose of verifying published information or describing any surrounding circumstances relevant to the accuracy of such published information; and
(2) be narrowly tailored in subject matter and period of time covered so as to avoid compelling the production of peripheral, nonessential, or speculative information.
SEC. 6. Rule of construction.
Nothing in this Act shall be construed to—
(1) apply to civil defamation, slander, or libel claims or defenses under State law, regardless of whether or not such claims or defenses, respectively, are raised in a State or Federal court; or
(2) prevent the Federal Government from pursuing an investigation of a covered journalist or organization that is—
(A) suspected of committing a crime;
(B) a witness to a crime unrelated to engaging in journalism;
(C) suspected of being an agent of a foreign power, as defined in section 101 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978 (50 U.S.C. 1801);
(D) an individual or organization designated under Executive Order 13224 (50 U.S.C. 1701 note; relating to blocking property and prohibiting transactions with persons who commit, threaten to commit, or support terrorism);
(E) a specially designated terrorist, as that term is defined in section 595.311 of title 31, Code of Federal Regulations (or any successor thereto); or
(F) a terrorist organization, as that term is defined in section 212(a)(3)(B)(vi)(II) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1182(a)(3)(B)(vi)(II)).