The Cross-Border Spread of Norms in Journalism: A European Alternative to the U.S. First Amendment?

Abstract

As barriers to cross-border information flows have diminished, national norms still influence how information is obtained and disseminated. This paper discusses the prospects for greater harmonization of these norms by examining an aspect of the media where they diverge – the role of confidential sources of information in news. It discusses journalistic and legal trends in the United States and Europe to assess how this harmonization may come about.