PRESS WATCH : Books Can Be News

During the last two months, Seymour M. Hersh’s book “The Samson Option” has been making headlines for, among other allegations, its claim that Israel has had nuclear weapons aimed at the Soviet Union.

Hersh, an institution in American journalism since he broke the My Lai massacre story during the Vietnam War, has been described as always controversial and often wrong. But sometimes, undeniably, he is both right and first with big stories.

The merits of his journalism aside, however, we note that his medium of choice is now the book rather than the pages of any magazine or newspaper. There are several other leading journalists--Bob Woodward of the Washington Post is one--who deliver all or some of their most important reportage in book form.

This is why the decision of an Arizona Superior Court judge that a reporter writing a book does not enjoy legal protection as a reporter is indefensible.

Dary Matera, a former Miami News reporter, is writing a book on Arizona’s AzScam trial, which arises from the alleged purchase of pro-gambling votes from legislators.

Judge Thomas Dunevant III recently required Matera to turn over his notes to a defendant in the case, denying Matera the protection of Arizona’s press shield law on the ground that HarperCollins, his publisher, is not a news-gathering organization.

We say: The publisher is what the writer is. Matera is clearly a journalist by current press practice. The decision will be appealed to the state Supreme Court and it should be overturned.