Final answer:
No, it is not permissible to share confidential information with members of the media or guests as it can compromise journalistic ethics and legal protections known as reporter's privilege, though there are situations where a journalist could be compelled to reveal a source.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question regarding whether it is permissible to share confidential information with members of the media or guests generally falls under ethical and legal considerations in journalism and the law. The response is B. No, based on principles such as reporter's privilege, legal precedents, and ethical practices within journalism. Reporter's privilege is a concept that acknowledges the right of journalists to keep a source confidential, often to protect whistleblowers or to report on sensitive issues without compromising their sources. Despite some legal protections, the Supreme Court has also ruled in cases such as Branzburg v. Hayes that journalists can be compelled to reveal sources in certain circumstances. In addition, the handling of classified material by the media comes with its constraints, where the government can request the redaction of certain material in the interest of national security.