News racks & newspaper street sales
How to file an FOIA request
MORE ARTICLES FROM ‘Press’
Ind. court overturns order that anonymous online poster be ID’d
Appeals panel sets legal standards that a former Junior Achievement official must meet before seeking to obtain the identity of a person who commented on The Indianapolis Star’s website.
1st Circuit dismisses candidate’s defamation suit
Unless there’s actual malice, ‘more speech, not damages, is the right strike-back against superheated or false rhetoric,’ appeals court rules in case involving 2010 Maine Senate race.
2nd Circuit agrees: no subpoena for reporter’s notes
Appeals court affirms trial court’s decision that New York’s shield law protects unpublished information.
News racks & newspaper street sales
The regulation of news racks and newspaper street sales presents an intriguing clash between newspaper publishers’ First Amendment rights and cities’ interests in aesthetics and safety.
Photojournalist, horse advocate can pursue media-access claim
9th Circuit says federal judge in Reno must re-examine whether U.S. Bureau of Land Management’s restrictions on press access to roundups are constitutional.
Biden says press freedom is critical to government
‘The American people need the facts — even the inconvenient facts — to be able judge the wisdom of the actions of their governments,” vice president tells Ohio newspaper group.
Senate panel backs bill to require cameras in Supreme Court
Sponsors say there’s no valid reason for the high court to operate outside the public eye.
Public has a right to keep an eye on police
Just as officers use technology to watch citizens, individuals have a right to monitor the work of officers on the public payroll.
Ill. audio-recording law under scrutiny
State lawmakers say it’s time to rewrite statute that bans audio recording unless all parties agree to recording.
Pa. judge: Newspapers can’t review settlement in gas-drilling case
Post-Gazette and Observer-Reporter had sought access to agreement involving a family who claimed the value of its home was wiped out by natural gas drilling on neighboring properties.
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.
9th Circuit won’t release gay-marriage trial videos
Panel: Judge had promised video wouldn’t be released and ‘integrity of our judicial system depends in no small part on the ability of litigants and members of the public to rely on a judge’s word.’
Filmmaker arrested at House subcommittee hearing
Oscar-nominated Joshua Fox was led out of the room in handcuffs and charged by Capitol Police with unlawful entry after trying to film the proceedings without the required media credentials.
NBC asks Romney to remove news footage from ad
Presidential candidate’s adviser says inclusion of video from a 1997 ‘Nightly News’ report on Newt Gingrich’s ethics committee reprimand falls under fair use.
THE EXPERTS
Ken Paulson is president and chief executive officer/First Amendment Center. Previously, Paulson served as editor and senior vice president/news of USA Today and USATODAY.com.
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.
John Seigenthaler founded the First Amendment Center in 1991 with the mission of creating national discussion, dialogue and debate about First Amendment rights and values.
Dr. Charles C. Haynes is director of the Religious Freedom Education Project at the Newseum. He writes and speaks extensively on religious liberty and religion in American public life.
David L. Hudson Jr. is a scholar at the First Amendment Center. Hudson writes for firstamendmentcenter.org and for other publications devoted to First Amendment issues.
Tiffany Villager is director/First Amendment studies at the First Amendment Center, which she joined in 1993. She also served as the center’s research manager and research coordinator, and developed the center’s library.
Inside the First Amendment • Press Commentary | Gene Policinski
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.