---
title: O.C.G.A. § 24-5-508. Qualified privilege for news gathering or dissemination.
collection: code
id: 24-5-508
cite_as: O.C.G.A. § 24-5-508 (2025)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-508
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-508.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-508/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/api/document/docs/default-source/joint-features-document-library/t24-ch1-7-(v20)-2023-pdf.pdf?sfvrsn=27d520aa_0#page=437
date: 2025
status: active
corpus_version: 2025-supplement-89aa39ab3c68
license: CC0-1.0
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/code/24-5-507.md
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index: https://georgiacommons.org/code/index.md
version: the only printed version
in_force: true
current_through: Including Acts of the 2025 Regular Session of the General Assembly
heading_path: EVIDENCE / PRIVILEGES
---

# O.C.G.A. § 24-5-508. Qualified privilege for news gathering or dissemination.

Any person, company, or other entity engaged in the gathering and dissemination of news for the public through any newspaper, book, magazine, radio or television broadcast, or electronic means shall have a qualified privilege against disclosure of any information, document, or item obtained or prepared in the gathering or dissemination of news in any proceeding where the one asserting the privilege is not a party, unless it is shown that this privilege has been waived or that what is sought:

(1) Is material and relevant;

(2) Cannot be reasonably obtained by alternative means; and

(3) Is necessary to the proper preparation or presentation of the case of a party seeking the information, document, or item.

## History

Code 1981, § 24-5-508, enacted by Ga. L. 2011, p. 99, § 2/HB 24.

## Law Reviews

For comment, “The Reporter’s Privilege in Georgia: ‘Qualified’ to Do the Job?,” see 9 Ga. St. U.L. Rev. 495 (1993).

For article, “Eleventh Circuit Survey: January 1, 2008 — December 31, 2008: Comment: 2009: A Blawg Odyssey: Exploring How the Legal Community Is Using Blogs and How Blogs are Changing the Legal Community,” see 60 Mercer L. Rev. 1353 (2009).