News & Opinion

Firestorm started by Vietnamese newspaper shows both owners and demonstrators in need of free speech remedial training By Peter Scheer All newspapers from time to time should publish articles that give offense to a sizable segment of their readers. Such provocations–challenging readers to think differently about an issue–are part of the editorial independence that is the right and obligation of all credible news organizations. Subscriber response may range, depending on the gravity of the offense,

Vallejo’s bankruptcy highlights need for transparency in city-union contracts By Peter Scheer The city of Vallejo has taken the extraordinary step of filing for federal bankruptcy protection. While the financial distress of this San Francisco suburb (population 117,000) is especially acute, its fiscal problems are fundamentally the same as those facing many California cities and counties–and, indeed, the state itself. To the familiar litany of causes–falling sales tax revenue, the home mortgage crisis leading to

Locy and Risen cases renew debate over protecting journalists’ confidential sources By Peter Scheer Just when you thought it was safe again for journalists to promise anonymity to confidential sources, federal judicial power is being applied with renewed enthusiasm to force reporters to out their sources. A federal grand jury in Alexandria, VA has subpoenaed New York Times reporter James Risen to testify about his confidential sources for a chapter in his book, “State of