Oregon Media Insiders

And neither of them justifies restriction of access. It is perfectly acceptable, (and constitutional) to photograph public areas of crime scenes, interview witnesses, conduct research about those involved and report all of the above, and still not interfere with investigation and notification functions of law enforcement.

The fact that accident scenes and crime scenes are shown on TV and in Print has never compromised a criminal conviction or kept next of kin from being notified. Occasionally, next of kin have learned of the death of a family member or loved one from the media. (Columbine, New York, 9/11, and many other instances.) That is an inescapable reality of electronic journalism.

Can you imagine the absurdity of not allowing the media to report on such events, until all three-thousand families had been notified? Hardly.

Should every detail of each investigation be available for public scrutiny? Of course not. But this is the 21st Century. We are an Information based society, and people want to be informed NOW.

It should be journalists who decide what information to print or broadcast. If they err, then bring a charge of hindering prosecution, and make it stick. We are a free society, not a Fascist State.