A brief account of the controversy at Baylor University (Waco, Texas) that led to the forced resignation and revocation of scholarships of student newspaper staff members. (RL)

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…

Intended to summarize the ideals underlying the struggle for freedom of the press and to reinforce the basic Constitutional principles upon which the United States functions, this collection of quotations reflects the beliefs of prominent people throughout history who have championed press freedom, as well as the ideas of some who have opposed it.…

The Office of Censorship's struggle to keep journalists from revealing the development of the first atomic bomb, the sites where the development was taking place, and the fact that the bomb might be available for use in the war, was desperate and in many ways heroic. Soon after it was created on December 19, 1941, the office issued a voluntary…

Prepared by members of the Freedom of Information (FOI) Committee of the Associated Press Managing Editors (AMPE), this collection of articles deals with a variety of issues concerning freedom of the press. Following a list of members of the committee, the major articles in the collection are: (1) "Massive Libel Suits Threaten Freedom of All…

A number of scholars have found that wartime conditions often bring about conflict between the press and the military. This study documents the various incidents between the United States Army and various Mexican and United States newspaper editors that led to at least ten cases of newspaper suppression, the occasional use of prior censorship, and…

This study attempts to determine what principals, advisers, and others believe is the role of high school student newspapers, and it suggests guidelines to follow in writing these newspapers. The study is based on a questionnaire sent to selected principals, headmasters of nonpublic schools, newspaper advisers, and editors of junior college and…

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…

Lists books, audiovisual materials, and organizations relevant to the First Amendment freedoms: freedom of speech and press, and censorship. (KC)

The repercussions of a controversy between the administration and student newspaper staff at Baylor University (Waco, Texas) included the loss of scholarships. (RL)

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)

Some faculty members and administrators feel that the Dartmouth "Review" is beginning to cause serious, long-term damage to the college. Controversies sparked or fanned by the paper have cost the college the support of some alumni and have impaired its ability to attract some top students and faculty members. (MLW)

A study analyzed U.S. Supreme Court Justice Lewis Powell's court opinions on First Amendment issues that affect the daily work of journalists. The results showed that he preferred compromises, guidelines, and tests to either/or solutions. Because Powell sought to balance all interests, he developed no firm theoretical position on the First…

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has been labeled an "enemy of the press" for his judicial opinions restricting or inhibiting the press's right to protected opinion. However, examination of his record suggests that his rulings do not constitute such a threat to journalistic freedom as many have been led to believe. His opinions…

Although Hannah Watson had had little printing training prior to her husband's unexpected death, she assumed his job as publisher of the "Connecticut Courant" newspaper, a vehement advocate of the patriot cause, for 16 months during the Revolutionary War. In spite of problems such as wartime printing shortages, the burning and…