July 7, 2005

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Melanie Hall
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UNITY supports New York Times' Judith Miller
Reporter's federal jail sentence for protecting confidential source may signal end of whistleblower protections

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ARLINGTON , Va. – UNITY: Journalists of Color commends Judith Miller for her continued commitment to protect a confidential source.

"We are shocked and dismayed at the court's decision to jail Ms. Miller," said UNITY President Mae Cheng. "We question a system that would hamper the public's right to know and incarcerate a reporter for doing her job. Ms. Miller's sentence will have a negative impact on journalism in America, and whistle blowers may be a thing of the past."

New York Times reporter Judith Miller was sentenced to jail Wednesday for refusing to tell a grand jury whether she was told the identity of undercover CIA agent Valerie Plame. An investigation was started after Plame's identity was leaked to the media, but Miller never reported Plame's name, and has not said whether she was told Plame's identity. She has said only that if she granted a source confidentiality, she would stand by her promise.

Matthew Cooper, a reporter for TIME Magazine, was held in civil contempt in the same case for refusing to reveal his source. However his employers turned in his notes to officials last week after the Supreme Court refused to review the reporters' case. In addition, Mr. Cooper agreed Wednesday to testify before the grand jury after he was released from confidentiality by his source.

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About UNITY: Journalists of Color
UNITY: Journalists of Color, Inc. is a strategic alliance advocating news coverage about people of color, and aggressively challenging its organizations at all levels to reflect the nation’s diversity. UNITY, representing more than 10,000 journalists of color, is comprised of four national associations: Asian American Journalists Association, National Association of Black Journalists, National Association of Hispanic Journalists, and the Native American Journalists Association.

In addition to planning the largest regular gathering of journalists in the nation, UNITY develops programs and institutional relationships that promote its mission. For more information on UNITY, visit www.unityjournalists.org, email info@unityjournalists.org or call (703) 854-3585.