Wonder who is going to jail? What? No News Corp? The idea there are some involved here that might face prosecution and possibly their sources. It compromises the legitimacy of their letter's content. Sorry, but it does.

It would be helpful for those NOT involved with the Associated Press case were involved to advocate for the profession and The Shield Law. It would keep it clean.

When letters carry LEGAL BAGGAGE it causes skepticism to the purpose of the group, the letter and the letter's context. It would be better to set aside a group of representatives of these organizations that are FREE OF CONFLICT OF INTEREST to act to bring about focus to their letter. 

Not to instill fear or intimidation, at least entertain that concept when moving forward. 

Media companies around the country signed a letter of protest to Attorney General Eric Holder a day after learning about the Justice Department’s subpoena of Associated Press phone records. In the letter, the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press urged for a strong federal shield law to protect reporters and their news-gathering materials in a court of law.

Media coalition letter of protest to Attorney General Eric Holder (click here)

Letter from the Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press to Attorney General Eric Holder, protesting the Justice Department's subpoena of Associated Press phone records.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press 

Bruce D. Brown, Executive Director, bbrown@rcfp.org
Gregg P. Leslie, Legal Defense Director, gleslie@rcfp.org

A. H. Belo Corporation
ABC, Inc.
Advance Publications, Inc
Allbritton Communications Corp.
ALM Media, LLC
American Society of News Editors
Association of Alternative News Media
The Association of American Publishers, Inc.
Atlantic Media, Inc.
Bay Area News Group
Cable Network News, Inc.
California Newspaper Publishers Association
California Newspaper Partnership
Cox Media Group, Inc.
Daily News, LP
Digital First Media, LLC
Digital Media Law Project
Dow Jones @ Company, Inc.
The E. W. Scripps Company
First Amendment Coalition
Forbes, Inc.
Free Press
Gannett Co., Inc.
Journal Communications, Inc.
Lee Enterprises
LIN Media
The McClatchy Company
Media News Group, Inc.
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Press Club
National Press Photographers Association
NBC Universal Media, LLC
The New York Times Company
Newspaper Association of America
The Newspaper Guild - CWA
The Newsweek / Daily Beast Company, LLC
North Jersey Media Group, Inc.
NPR, Inc.
Online News Association
POLITICO LLC
Radio Television Digital News Associaiton
Reporters Without Borders 
Reuters America LLC
The Seattle Times Company
Society of Professional Journalists
Stephens Media LLC
Student Press Law Center
Time, Inc.
Tribune Company
21st Century Media Newspaper
The Washington Post

CC:
U.S. Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr.
via email: dc.outreach@usdoj.gove

Office of Public Affairs
via email: press@usdoj.gov