Jack Shafer at Slate offers good insight into the whole WikiLeaks story, and the issue of the press reporting on government secrets. He finds most mainstream outlets have a good record of responsibility on the subject.

Even in the most recent reports by The New York Times, on the Afghanistan War documents, and The Washington Post, on U.S. intelligence contractors, Shafer finds the publications were careful in what they disclosed.

“I don't expect the Pentagon to pin Distinguished Service Crosses on the lapels of the redacting editors any time soon,” he writes. “But the WikiLeaks coverage shows how conscientious the press generally is when publishing information the government would rather keep secret.”