Law & Order: SVU

Monday night's episode of Law & Order: SVU was based around the relationship between the press and the police - primarily a journalist and an info-leaking detective.

At first, the relationship with the journalist was strained - he spoiled one of their undercover surveillence efforts.

The detectives' case was ruined but the leaky detective, Olivia, didn't want the truth to be buried forever...

So, she secretly taped an interview with the suspect and passed it on to the journalist.

He wrote a damning exclusive with the leaked information.

When asked to reveal his sources, he made the decision to stay quiet.

He went to gaol.

Although it's a television show, this is a real risk for journalists.

The journalist had a sense of something bigger than himself - the public interest.

It was either going to be him or Olivia that would be sent to gaol and he saw it as his responsibility to tell the story and go down with the ship.

The lack of protection for journalists, particularly in Australia, is not comforting for those who acknowledge the "fourth estate" ideal of the media.

To encourage quality journalism and investigative journalism, protections should be considered for passionate journalists.