FOR RELEASE: September 25, 2024
Contact: Richard T. Kaplar
The Media Institute
703-506-8030
Vienna, Va., September 25, 2024 – Media Institute Senior Fellow Michael O’Rielly explores the thinking of First Amendment attorney and scholar Floyd Abrams on social media cases that were pending before the U.S. Supreme Court in a newly enhanced videocast released today by The Madison Project.
“TMT With Mike O’Rielly: Floyd Abrams on Pending SCOTUS First Amendment Cases” features an interview with Abrams recorded in June 2024 that focuses on cases from Florida and Texas challenging government attempts to interfere in the editorial decisions of social media platforms.
Their discussion ranges far beyond these two cases, however, as Abrams reflects on a variety of issues such as the current state of the First Amendment, what constitutes a journalist in today’s digital landscape, and whether criticisms of the current High Court are justified.
The enhanced videocast opens with O’Rielly standing on the lawn of Montpelier, the residence of First Amendment author and fourth president James Madison, and offering a brief history of the First Amendment and Madison’s pivotal role. He describes the relevance of The Media Institute’s namesake initiative “The Madison Project: Free Speech and Press in American Democracy” and then continues that discussion with Abrams at the start of their interview.
The Madison Project’s working premise is that a weakening of speech and press freedoms will likely result in a weakening of American democracy itself. An assessment of these freedoms in this age of misinformation, AI, and deepfakes is critical: The nature of information reaching voters – and their ability to assess its veracity – will be crucial to the upcoming elections and well beyond.
Abrams chairs The Madison Project’s Steering Committee. O’Rielly serves as a member of that committee. Both are members of The Media Institute’s First Amendment Advisory Council.
O’Rielly first released a version of this interview titled “TMT with Mike O’Rielly: The Madison Project & Pending SCOTUS First Amendment Cases” as part of his videocast series hosted by Free State Foundation.
The Madison Project is underwritten by foundations, corporations, and others with an interest in media and communications, the First Amendment, and the preservation of American democracy. Initial support has been provided by Verizon, LG Electronics, and Wiley Rein LLP. For more information about underwriting opportunities, contact Richard T. Kaplar at kaplar@mediainstitute.org.
The Media Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization specializing in communications policy and the First Amendment. Visit the Institute at www.mediainstitute.org.
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