When reporters talk to public officials

Dan Kennedy discusses the Herald's appeal of a jury verdict that found it had libeled a judge with comments from a district attorney about him:

... As we all know, news organizations too often take handoffs from prosecutors and call them news. That's hardly Pulitzer-caliber journalism, but it's a depressing fact of media life.

But to hang a "libel" sign on such a dubious practice would be a grotesque overreaction that would harm not just the Herald, and not just the news media, but the public that depends on journalism to keep it informed about the actions of its government.