Journalists are not immune to misunderstandings of the First Amendment, despite their self-evident interests in the functionality and well-being of a free press (and, indeed, their long and important efforts to protect speech and press freedoms). Jonathan Peters asked a dozen media law professors and attorneys what they consider common misunderstandings that journalists have about the First Amendment and media law. Eleven shared their thoughts.
Can The First Amendment Save Us?
It took a long time for the press to gain freedom and respect in America. Now both are in peril.
During the past several days the feud between President Trump and the NFL regarding many of its players taking a knee during the national anthem has deepened an already divisive debate about the First Amendment’s guarantee of freedom of speech and expression. What’s not as well known is that there has been a steady increase in efforts in many states to squelch public protests, an effort quite possibly borne out of the protests and rioting that followed the shootings of African-Americans by white police officers and others, which became more frequent three years ago.
Exclusives
“Today’s media is not monolithic,” NAB CEO Gordon Smith says, and “in a time when … media is becoming incredibly polarized and partisan, local news has become even more valuable to our democratic dialogue.”
The NAB Education Foundation (NABEF) and the Broadcast Education Association (BEA) today announced the winners of the Freedom of Speech Public Service Announcement Contest for college communications students. The first-place […]
