{
  "batch": "871-washington-recording-consent-one-party-or-two-party",
  "articles": [
    {
      "id": "learn_r871_washington_recording_consent_one_party_or_two_party_wa_journalist_recording_exception",
      "category": "Safety",
      "title": "[Unverified - being checked] Washington: wiretapping journalist exception",
      "summary": "[Unverified - being checked] Washington exempts bona fide newsgathering journalists from the all-party consent requirement of RCW 9.73.030 when acting in the course of news gathering duties and either express consent is given or the recording device is readily apparent to speakers, under RCW 9.73.030(4).",
      "body": "Washington exempts bona fide newsgathering journalists from the all-party consent requirement of RCW 9.73.030 when acting in the course of news gathering duties and either express consent is given or the recording device is readily apparent to speakers, under RCW 9.73.030(4).\n\nWhat Washington State Legislature actually says:\n\n“(4) An employee of any regularly published newspaper, magazine, wire service, radio station, or television station acting in the course of bona fide news gathering duties on a full-time or contractual or part-time basis, shall be deemed to have consent to record and divulge communications or conversations otherwise prohibited by this chapter if the consent is expressly given or if the recording or transmitting device is readily apparent or obvious to the speakers.”\n\nNote: News gathering exception to all-party consent in Washington.",
      "source_type": "official",
      "source_link": "https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=9.73.030",
      "last_verified": "2026-10-17",
      "reliability": "VERIFIED RULE",
      "source_tier": "A",
      "source_publisher": "Washington State Legislature",
      "evidence_quote": "(4) An employee of any regularly published newspaper, magazine, wire service, radio station, or television station acting in the course of bona fide news gathering duties on a full-time or contractual or part-time basis, shall be deemed to have consent to record and divulge communications or conversations otherwise prohibited by this chapter if the consent is expressly given or if the recording or transmitting device is readily apparent or obvious to the speakers.",
      "volatility": "low",
      "from_batch": "871-washington-recording-consent-one-party-or-two-party",
      "subject": "Washington",
      "topic": "wiretapping journalist exception",
      "tags": {
        "lane": "any",
        "stage": "running",
        "region": [
          "us-wa"
        ],
        "platform": "any",
        "topic": [
          "rules.content",
          "safety.legal"
        ],
        "explicitness": "any"
      },
      "verification": {
        "status": "unverified",
        "label": "Unverified - being checked",
        "reasons": [
          "legal_fetch_over_cap"
        ],
        "checked_utc": "20261021-123916Z"
      }
    }
  ]
}