The protection applies to any person or company engaged in “gathering, compiling, writing, editing, photographing, recording or processing information that is disseminated by any news medium.” “News medium” is defined as any entity “regularly engaged in the business of publication or distribution of news via print, broadcast or other electronic means accessible to the general public.” Neither the statute nor the N.C. case law has addressed whether an independent blogger is “engaged in the business of publication or distribution of news.” By its terms, however, the privilege appears broad enough to cover information sought from the “business side” of a newspaper or other media company.
