Section 31A. Whoever transmits the results of a race, or information as to the progress of a race during the running thereof, in a racing meeting as defined in section one of chapter one hundred and twenty-eight A, by any means to another knowing that such results or information is to be used or intended to be used for unlawful purposes or in furtherance of unlawful gambling, shall be punished by a fine of not more than five thousand dollars or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than two and one half years or in the state prison for not more than five years, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
This section shall not be construed as prohibiting a newspaper from printing such results for publication as news, or a television or radio station from telecasting or broadcasting such results or information as news.