We're All Journalists Now: The Transformation of the Press and Reshaping of the Law in the Internet Age

In today's digital age of inexpensive and accessible media production and distribution means, it is clear that "We're All Journalists Now." The book of this title by Scott Gant explores the current era's transition in journalism and the laws associated with the changing times. Gant's book examines today's definition of "journalist" and to whom journalistic rights ought to be afforded. There are many well done elements of his book, ranging from its historical accounts, to modern day examples, to its strong central message and arguments. This is an excellent book for a classroom discussion, as its message has many points that can be debated. While the author's position is at times questionable, this is a book that should be read. "We're All Journalists Now" is a worthwhile, thought-provoking work. The benefits of this book are ample. Gant stays on-message well and his main points are consistently supported throughout the book: First, that "press" rights should be granted based upon the act of journalism rather than a media-organization affiliation (p. 86); second, that "the legal framework for allocating press rights and privileges is not keeping up with the pace of change"(p. 136). In addition, Gant does well to provide a full-circle historical account of the press - from the independent penny papers prepared by the people (p. 15), to corporate-driven media conglomerates (p. 20), to citizen created blogs (p.24). He investigates the ways in which "journalism is returning to its status as an activity rather than a profession" (p. 136). Credit should also be given to Gant for his use of legal examples to highlight his message that there should be a consistent, modern system of protection for journalists. His examples range from the precedent-setting Branzburg v. Hayes case of 1972 which "gave rise to more questions than it answered" (p. 64), to possible modern-day "shield law legislation in the 110th Congress" (p. 155). Gant shines with a well-structured argument on page 84. He offers an evaluation of licensing the press, wherein he provides the pros and cons given by Justices and offers subsidiary information based on the addition of technological developments. Due to the fact that anyone can engage in journalism in today's age, Gant concludes that: "If the Court reexamines the nature of press freedom, what is crucial, is that it recognize that any special `press' rights conferred by the First Amendment must be based on activity, not status" (p. 86). His fully-formed arguments are a pleasure to read, as they evaluate multiple sides of the issue. Nonetheless, while Gant's arguments and examples are clear, there is room for debate in some of his theories. Such room for debate can be seen as a pro or a con to the book: A pro in that it presents opportunities for critical thought and evaluation, and a con because a non-critical reader may simply read it and agree with his questionable messages. From the perspective of a reviewer, this is a pro. Th

If it's hard to imagine a book on the history of media in the US and the legal issues arising from the impact of the internet on said media being fascinating or even, I kid you you not, fun - think again. Because both are descriptive of "We're All Journalists Now." The book is like a novel in that it reads with such a flowing style. Which is high praise coming from a lawyer about another lawyer. In other words, there is no legalize here and the book is clearly written for the lay person. Which is not to say that "We're All Journalists Now" isn't chalk full of information and analysis. It is. I just can't ever remember finishing a non-fiction book so quickly where I learned so much. And it doesn't hurt that the issues surrounding the transformation of our media are becoming among the most important facing the country.

College-level collections strong in either journalism and news history or social issues need WE'RE ALL JOURNALISTS NOW: THE TRANSFORMATION OF THE PRESS AND RESHAPING OF THE LAW IN THE INTERNET AGE. It charts the unprecedented rise of blogging and different forms of both reporting and readership, surveys how traditional venues from TV to newspapers are struggling to achieve both identity and validity in the wake of these non-traditional journalist efforts, and considers both social and legal challenges to free speech and writing. The author is an attorney and constitutional scholar: this combined experience lends to a powerful assessment of changes in how information is disseminated and processed. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

Sounds like a great development but only time will tell if we will be served with more and better quality information.

In this absorbing and important work, lawyer and scholar Scott Gant depicts how the evolution of the news media has outpaced our legal system. In prose that is admirably clear, Gant explains how our current conceptions of journalists, and the legal protections they are due, are outdated and even harmful to our republic. The proliferation of citizen journalists who cover the news with seriousness, depth, and fairness--and the increasing needs of a public which reads and depends upon their work--should move our society into expanding the reach of legal protections currently only available to paid, professional, "mainstream" journalists. WE'RE ALL JOURNALISTS NOW combines the very best traditions of writing on public affairs and law: it is topical and up to date, while offering deep insights that should inform our public discussions about citizen journalists for years to come. Gant's writing is logical, accurate, and careful, while still readable, engaging, and convincing. His points always hit hard while remaining fair and on the mark. Gant's arguments are so tightly and effectively rendered, that the reader may be surprised to find him or herself coming to the same dramatic conclusions he does: our society needs nothing short of a revolution in how we think of and safeguard the enterprise of journalism. WE'RE ALL JOURNALISTS NOW is mandatory reading for anyone interested in the current state of journalism, the news media and the internet, and the evolution of U.S. law. Few books of the last decade are so well positioned to make a lasting impact on public affairs, and, in particular, our debates about the First Amendment and how we gather and absorb news. Read Gant's book, and become part of this conversation. Bruce Peabody, Associate Professor of Political Science