Interview With Jailed Video Blogger Josh Wolf

Video blogger and independent journalist Josh Wolf has been in a federal jail for 170 days for refusing to turn over to a federal grand jury a video of a San Francisco demonstration. On Feb. 6 Wolf's length of incarceration set a new record for US journalism. "Democracy Now!" has an interview with Josh Wolf from his jail cell. If federal authorities can jail bloggers with impunity, it does not bode well for the future of citizen journalism.

Comments

Honestly

[Bifurcati]

Despite the scare mongering in TFA, the bottom line is he was subpoenaed for a video that might have been possible evidence in a (possible) serious crime. They're investigating a violent protest - a policeman (apparently) had his skull cracked, for goodness sake. I don't care how pure your protest motives are, that sort of thing is never appropriate. (Well, okay, maybe as an absolute last resort for overthrowing a government, but I don't think we're there yet.)

If you refuse a legal subpoena then you go to jail. It's got nothing to independent journalism or even protecting his sources - at this level of the game, they want to see the tape. Maybe he'll be interviewed for information about the people on the tape at a later date, but that's not the issue here. Go to jail for (in some weird sense) "protecting your sources", not for witholding evidence, if you want to make a statement.

This feels like seriously biased reporting.