Established in the early 1970s to respond to complaints about and from the media, the four press councils in Canada (the Alberta, Ontario, Quebec, and Windsor Press Councils) have been accepted, but not overwhelmingly so by either newspapers or the public. The success and acceptability of the councils seems to be related to the kinds of complaints…

Since the 1974 Supreme Court dicta in "Gertz v. Robert Welch, Inc.," many courts have held that statement of opinion is constitutionally protected. However, statements that appear to be opinion based on undisclosed facts or knowledge not generally known to the public can be an exception. For instance, courts have protected specific…

This report considers the feasibility of establishing a press council or councils in the United States. The purpose of this council would be to report to the public both on the accuracy of news coverage and on threats, real and potential, against the freedom of the press to fulfill its responsibility of providing information to its readers and…

Highlights the development of objective news reporting in commercial newspapers and the rise of journalism as a profession, legitimating its major institutional role as the self-announced protector of the public good. (JMF)

This paper examines several United States Supreme Court decisions to evaluate the Court's stance on an individual's right to privacy when that right conflicts with the press right to freedom of expression. Particular attention is paid to the Court's "Rosenbloom" and "Gertz" decisions. The paper concludes that the Supreme Court is trying to…

A study was conducted to examine news coverage of the U.S. withdrawal from Unesco. News reports distributed by the Associated Press, United Press International, New York Times News Service, and Washington Post-Los Angeles Times News Service were studied to determine how adequate a foundation they were providing Americans for independent judgment…

This selection of readings, primarily intended for a college journalism course, discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the major sources of the public news--the wire services, newspapers, and television. The first part of the book deals with the context of mass news and serves as an introduction to some of the crucial ideas shaping thinking…

Broadcast and print journalism are interrelated in this book's coverage of the functions and status of the "fourth estate". A first part discusses journalism's magnitude and significance, with separate chapters offering a profile of the press, a discussion of the people's need to know, and a brief history of American journalism. The second part…

The Portuguese press is now guaranteed free access to official sources of information, professional confidentiality, freedom of publication and of competition, and the independence of the professional journalist; yet its ability to influence public opinion is limited by a traditional expectation of governmental repression and by present financial…

This volume is a reproduction of summaries by the American Newspaper Publishers Association Foundation (ANPAF) designed to put to the test of public response some of the various components which go into making a newspaper, including headline and type size, the use of captions, and story location. The main purpose is to supply data which editors…

Emphasizing the newspaper's influence on people's lives and opinions and its role in preserving a democratic government, this teaching guide attempts to promote student understanding and appreciation of the functions, service, and responsibilities of the press. Units for grades 7-12 focus on particular aspects of the newspaper: introduction to the…

These nine essays address controversial issues of academic freedom and values at the university level. The book, which was derived from two years of debate and lectures presented to national meetings of the American Association of University Professors, is organized in three sections which address such issues as: the purpose of academic freedom,…