That a paper says she's a journalist, doesn't make it so. You can't believe everything that you read. It also says the is a writing teacher at the University of Houston.

Other than what I've mentioned before, I'm not sure who else could be called a member of the press. It is a "protected" group according to the US Constitution.

Using your definition, anyone who has notes they want to keep from authorities, simply by talking to newsmagazine editors is member of the press and can keep the notes private. It seems too easy.

Now, I don't know the details of this case and INAL, but from where I sit it seems too murky to make the call. If the Constitution and legal precedents don't make it easy to decide then maybe the US Supreme Court has to clarify this for us.

Unemployed IT workers are irrelevant to the issue.

I agree that sucks and should nor be permitted. Gag rules with reason are one thing, but this is ridiculous.