Natalee Holloway’s disappearance in Aruba has received more than its fair share of coverage over the past weeks.

The main reason for the ongoing media coverage of this case can be attributed to the efforts of Natalee’s mother, Beth Holloway-Twitty. She has kept the case alive in the media by offering ongoing interviews to print and broadcast media alike.

Beth’s incessant PR has resulted in huge impact on both media and government. The latest manifestation of her influence is in the FBI’s involvement in the case. Since when has the FBI become involved in the case of a missing girl outside of the US?

Natalee Holloway’s disappearance has indeed become a story of national interest, which just goes to show that the grief of a mother and her desperate need to find her daughter does have the power to move mountains.

Yesterday, New York Times journalist, Judith Miller, was sent to jail for refusing to disclose her confidential source to a grand jury investigating the leak of a CIA operative’s name.

Ironically, Miller never actually wrote a story about this. She was sentenced to at least 120 days in jail for simply having a conversation with the source.

Simiarly, Time Magazine’s journalist, Matt Cooper, also faced a jail sentence but decided to testify after gaining permission from his source.

These latest occurrences clearly challenge the integrity of journalism as a whole. If journalists are unable to promise confidentiality to their sources, will they be willing to talk? We could be faced with a situation where the press is unable to communicate breaking news to the public.

The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press has lashed out at the Government and is urging Congress to create a federal shield legislation to protect journalists who are simply doing their job.

It is, indeed, a sad situation for journalists nationwide, knowing that one day, they too, may be forced to choose between professional integrity and imprisonment.