Journalist Catherine Herridge sentenced for refusing to reveal her sources

Journalist Catherine Herridge was sentenced after being held in contempt of court for not wanting to reveal her sources for several investigative reports about a Chinese scientist being investigated by the FBI that were done while she was at Fox News.

The journalist, who joined the CBS News staff in 2019 after leaving Fox News, will have to pay, by court decision, $800 for each day she goes without disclosing her sources, although she will not have to immediately comply with this obligation because she has a period to appeal.

"Herridge and many of her colleagues in the journalism community may disagree with that decision and prefer that a different balance be struck, but she is not permitted to flout a federal court's order with impunity," said Chris Cooper, U.S. district judge for the District of Columbia.

CBS News and Fows News support Herridge

Both networks for which Herridge worked defended the investigative journalist. "As we previously said, we are fully supportive of Catherine Herridge's position in this case. No journalist should be punished for maintaining a source's confidentiality. This order finding her in contempt should be concerning to all Americans who value the role of the free press in our democracy and understand that reliance on confidential sources is critical to the mission of journalism," CBS News said.

"Holding a journalist in contempt for protecting a confidential source has a deeply chilling effect on journalism. Fox News Media remains committed to protecting the rights of a free press and freedom of speech and believes this decision should be appealed," Fox News stated.