Exempting Broadcast Journalists and News Agencies from Revealing the Source of Published News or Information Obtained in Confidence, Amending RA No. 53, as Amended

August 30, 2019

REPUBLIC ACT NO. 11458

AN ACT EXPANDING THE COVERAGE OF EXEMPTIONS FROM REVEALING THE SOURCE OF PUBLISHED NEWS OR INFORMATION OBTAINED IN CONFIDENCE BY INCLUDING JOURNALISTS FROM BROADCAST, AND NEWS AGENCIES, AMENDING FOR THE PURPOSE SECTION 1 OF REPUBLIC ACT NO. 53, AS AMENDED BY REPUBLIC ACT NO. 1477

SECTION 1. Section 1 of Republic Act No. 53, otherwise known as "An Act to Exempt the Publisher, Editor or Reporter of any Publication from Revealing the Source of Published News or Information Obtained in Confidence," as amended by Republic Act No. 1477, is hereby further amended, to read as follows:

"SECTION 1. Without prejudice to his liability under the civil and criminal laws, any publisher, owner, or duly recognized or accredited journalist, writer, reporter, contributor, opinion writer, editor, columnist, manager, media practitioner involved in the writing, editing, production, and dissemination of news for mass circulation, of any print, broadcast, wire service organization, or electronic mass media, including cable TV and its variants, cannot be compelled to reveal the source of any news item, report or information appearing or being reported or disseminated through said media, which was related in confidence to the abovementioned media practitioners unless the court or the House of Representatives or the Senate or any committee of Congress finds that such revelation is demanded by the security of the State."

SECTION 2. Repealing Clause. — All laws, decrees, executive orders, rules or regulations or parts thereof inconsistent with the provisions of this Act are hereby repealed or modified. DETACa

SECTION 3. Effectivity. — This Act shall take effect fifteen (15) days after its publication in at least two (2) newspapers of national circulation.

Approved: August 30, 2019.

 

Published in the Manila Bulletin on October 2, 2019.

Published in the Official Gazette, Vol. 115, No. 47, p. 13149 on November 25, 2019.