Gene Policinski

Gene Policinski, senior vice president and executive director of the First Amendment Center, is a veteran journalist whose career has included work in newspapers, radio, television and online operations.

Policinski oversees operations and programs of the center, which has offices in Nashville, at Vanderbilt University; and in Washington, D.C. He is co-author of the weekly syndicated newspaper column, "Inside the First Amendment," and executive producer and one of the narrators of the touring multimedia stage production, "Freedom Sings."

Policinski came to the Freedom Forum in 1996 from USA Today, where he was one of several founding editors and held various news executive positions. He began his journalism career in 1969 in Indiana, where he worked as a newspaper reporter and later as state bureau chief for Gannett News Service. In 1980, he became a correspondent in the GNS Washington bureau, reporting on Congress, politics and other issues.

In 1982, he was named Washington editor of USA Today during its development period, and he held that post when it launched on Sept. 15. In 1983, he was named a Page One editor. In 1985, he was named deputy managing editor/sports and later managing editor/sports. He is the founding editor of USA Today Baseball Weekly (now Sports Weekly). From 1991 through 1993, he was the on-air host of three news, sports and information programs on USA Today Sky Radio. He also helped develop USA Today’s first online ventures.

In April 1996, he joined the Freedom Forum as a journalist in residence, directing a special Olympic Games program; and in September 1996 was named special assistant to then-chief executive officer Charles Overby.

Since joining the foundation, he has held a number of executive roles. In 1999, he became Washington editor for the First Amendment Center’s Web site. He was host and writer for "Newseum Radio," a one-hour program that aired on National Public Radio Worldwide from 1997 to 2001. And he was executive producer of "Speaking Freely," a weekly interview program, which aired nationwide on public television from 2001 to 2005. Policinski was named deputy director of the First Amendment Center in June 2000. He became executive director in 2004, vice president in 2007 and senior vice president in 2010.

Policinski is a member of the board of trustees of the Newspaper Association of America Foundation; a member of the board of directors of the National Conference of Editorial Writers foundation; a national trustee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences; and a member of the NATAS Mid-South board of governors. He is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists, and serves on the board of the Nashville chapter of SPJ. A member of the American Society of News Editors, he is former chairman of ASNE’s First Amendment committee and currently serves as co-chair for the 2012 ASNE convention.

Policinski is an adjunct faculty member at Winthrop University in South Carolina; and is a member of the Board of Advisors for the Institute for Media, Culture and Ethics, at Bellarmine University, Louisville. In 1991, he was inducted as a member of the Ball State University Journalism Hall of Fame. In 1996, he was named Ball State’s Alumni of the Year. He is college programs coordinator and one of the founders of "1 for All," the national nonpartisan initiative to educate Americans about the First Amendment.

A graduate of Ball State University, he attended the Nashville School of Law. He lectures and writes extensively on First Amendment topics focusing on free press, free speech and new media and communications issues. He received an Emmy award from the Mid-South Chapter of NATAS for the Emmy-honored public broadcasting program "Speaking Freely."

Policinski is married to Kathleen B. Powell, an educator. They have two sons.

Posts by Gene Policinski:

Featured Post, Inside the First Amendment, Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | May 11, 2012

Tricky call: deciding when news should be held

Two instances involving the Associated Press offer good lessons on when and why journalists might need to withhold news.

Inside the First Amendment | Gene Policinski | May 3, 2012

Journalists brave attacks, death in much of the world

And though U.S. protects the free practice of journalism, it’s not without its critics of its commitment to press freedom.

Speech Commentary | Gene Policinski | April 16, 2012

In the military, speech can be punishable conduct

As seen in Marine Gary Stein’s case, the reach of the Web and social media challenges how military rules rooted in the Civil War apply in the Internet age.

Inside the First Amendment, Speech Commentary | Gene Policinski | April 13, 2012

Effort to combat bullying would punish too much speech

Arizona measure fails to make crucial distinctions between threats, harassment on one hand and merely annoying, offensive language on the other.

Inside the First Amendment, Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | March 29, 2012

The good news is, there’s still good journalism

A mix of high-quality journalism and smarter business models bodes well for news as envisioned by those who crafted our First Amendment freedom of the press.

Freedom Of Information Commentary, Inside the First Amendment | Gene Policinski | March 16, 2012

Public information needs interpretation, context

Facts may speak for themselves, but when it comes to public facts, so should the people who are on the public payroll to assemble, assess and explain them.

Assembly Commentary, Inside the First Amendment | Gene Policinski | March 2, 2012

Government must be careful with tactics against Occupy camps

Narrowly focused laws seem to have replaced hasty police actions rooted more in passion, politics and polemics than in public welfare.

Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | February 27, 2012

Keeping mug shots private serves society, prisoners badly

Ruling against Tulsa World newspaper, 10th Circuit panel fails to take into account the benefits of openness of information about arrests and incarceration.

Inside the First Amendment, Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | February 17, 2012

Criminal libel: a bad idea in a free society

The legal point of successful defamation lawsuits is to compensate the victims of malicious falsehoods, not to punish the writers or speakers.

Inside the First Amendment, Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | February 3, 2012

Journalists are natural fit as debate moderators

Commission on Presidential Debates places journalists where they should be: As questioners on behalf of the American public.

Assembly Commentary, Inside the First Amendment | Gene Policinski | January 20, 2012

Planning can prevent violations of free assembly at political conventions

Balancing First Amendment assembly rights with public safety, security is an achievable goal for cities hosting this year’s political conventions.

Speech Commentary | Gene Policinski | January 13, 2012

Loving free speech is easy, until we hate what somebody said

Three recent incidents involving speech suggest we need a refresher course on respecting one another’s First Amendment freedoms.

Press Commentary | Gene Policinski | January 6, 2012

Streaker isn’t college’s greatest embarrassment

East Carolina University officials cause damage to themselves, students and press freedom by firing college newspaper adviser.

Assembly Commentary, Inside the First Amendment | Gene Policinski | January 6, 2012

New year rings with freedom of assembly

With “Occupy” and union protests, 2012 is picking up where 2011 left off: Assembly is often at the top of the news, if not our collective mindset.

Speech Commentary | Gene Policinski | January 4, 2012

We don’t need state conductor for national anthem

Indiana legislator’s proposed fine for non-traditional renditions of ‘The Star-Spangled Banner’ would put government into questionable role of music dictator.

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About The First Amendment Center

We support the First Amendment and build understanding of its core freedoms through education, information and entertainment.

The center serves as a forum for the study and exploration of free-expression issues, including freedom of speech, of the press and of religion, and the rights to assemble and to petition the government.

Founded by John Seigenthaler, the First Amendment Center is an operating program of the Freedom Forum and is associated with the Newseum and the Diversity Institute. The center has offices in the John Seigenthaler Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tenn., and at the Newseum in Washington, D.C.

The center’s programs, including the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum, provide education and information to the public and groups including First Amendment scholars and experts, educators, government policy makers, legal experts and students. The center is nonpartisan and does not lobby, litigate or provide legal advice. See First Amendment Center Fact Sheet and FAQs. See internships info.

The center’s website, www.firstamendmentcenter.org, is one of the most authoritative sources of news, information and commentary in the nation on First Amendment issues. It features daily updates on news about First Amendment-related developments, as well as detailed reports about U.S. Supreme Court cases involving the First Amendment, and commentary, analysis and special reports on free expression, press freedom and religious-liberty issues. Support the work of the First Amendment Center.

1 For All

1 for All is a national nonpartisan program designed to build understanding and support for First Amendment freedoms. 1 for All provides teaching materials to the nation’s schools, supports educational events on America’s campuses and reminds the public that the First Amendment serves everyone, regardless of faith, race, gender or political leanings. It is truly one amendment for all. Visit 1 for All at http://1forall.us/

Help tomorrow’s citizens find their voice: Teach the First Amendment

The most basic liberties guaranteed to Americans – embodied in the 45 words of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – assure Americans a government that is responsible to its citizens and responsive to their wishes.

These 45 words are as alive and important today as they were more than 200 years ago. These liberties are neither liberal nor conservative, Democratic nor Republican – they are the basis for our representative democratic form of government.

We know from studies beginning in 1997 by the nonpartisan First Amendment Center, and from studies commissioned by the Knight Foundation and others, that few adult Americans or high school students can name the individual five freedoms that make up the First Amendment.

The lesson plans – drawn from materials prepared by the Newseum and the First Amendment Center – will draw young people into an exploration of how their freedoms began and how they operate in today’s world. Students will discuss just how far individual rights extend, examining rights in the school environment and public places. The lessons may be used in history and government, civics, language arts and journalism, art and debate classes. They may be used in sections or in their entirety. Many of these lesson plans indicate an overall goal, offer suggestions on how to teach the lesson and list additional resources and enrichment activities.

See more about lesson plans.

First Amendment Moot Court Competition

The First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution – the cornerstone of American democracy – is the focus of the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition. Recognized as one of the nation's finest constitutional-law competitions, this annual event features a current First Amendment controversy.

During the two-day competition in February, each team will participate in a minimum of four rounds, arguing a hypothetical based on a current First Amendment controversy before panels of accomplished jurists, legal scholars and attorneys.

Past participants in the National First Amendment Moot Court Competition have represented law schools nationwide, from Brooklyn Law School to Duke University to Arizona State to Harvard.

The 22nd Annual National First Amendment Moot Court Competition is Feb. 16-17, 2012. See registration information and details about the competition.

FIRST AMENDMENT CENTER ARCHIVES

State of the First Amendment survey reports

The State of the First Amendment surveys, commissioned since 1997 by the First Amendment Center and Newseum, are a regular check on how Americans view their first freedoms of speech, press, assembly, religion and petition.

The periodic surveys examine public attitudes toward freedom of speech, press, religion and the rights of assembly and petition; and sample public opinion on contemporary issues involving those freedoms. See the reports.