Are newspapers obligated by law to protect a source?

[Jara sang]

Or do they merely do it as a courtesy? If you relay information to a newspaper under the condition that you want to remain anonymous and they "out" you as their source do you have any legal recourse?

[lenidog]

1. There is no law requiring them to protect a source it is up to

newspaper.

[bigwillq]

2. I don't believe there is an official law

Which means no legal recourse could really be taken.

[Clark2008]

3. It's a courtesy

And, most states don't have Sheild Laws to protect reporters from jail time if they refuse to out you.

[kweerwolf]

4. Reputable newspapers take protecting sources very seriously ...

... because they know that if they betray a source, they won't be trusted with information in the future. That's why reporters will go to jail for contempt of court rather than reveal a source.

That said, "shield laws" that allow reporters to protect anonymous sources are not universally accepted in courts. Certainly not like lawyer/client, priest/penetant, husband/wife priveleged communications. So it often falls to the reporter and his or her editor to promise a source confidentiality at the risk of going to jail if they are ever summoned into court.