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Are checkbook journalists less worthy of protection?

Opinion L.A. Los Angeles Times New iPhone prototype -- cost the company $5,000 up front, which seemed like a bargain at the time. The money went to the unnamed person who supposedly found the phone at the Gourmet Haus Staudt in Redwood City, where an Apple engineer named Gray Powell reportedly left it. In return, Gizmodo drew a flood of visitors to a series of posts by blogger Jason Chen about the secrecy-shrouded device. This case is unique, however, in that Gawker paid its source for someone else's property; had Chen not been a journalist, no doubt police could have arrested him for buying what's arguably a stolen good and compelled him to reveal his seller. But Chen's a journalist, and his iPhone seller is therefore a "source."

Full post as published by The Trade Secrets Vault on April 30, 2010 (boomark / email).