Participated in an amicus brief (with other amici) filed with the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit in the matter known as In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation. In the largest public-health lawsuit of our time, a federal district court issued a protective order barring the plaintiffs from disclosing key historical data [...]
By Jason Schwartz, politico.com, 11-13-18 President Donald Trump and press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders often have the upper hand over CNN in the White House briefing room. But CNN has likely now claimed the advantage by moving the battle to the courtroom. First Amendment lawyers say courts have a history of defending access for journalists, [...]
By Harry A. Jessell, TVNewsCheck.com, 11-7-18 With Democrats securing a majority of seats in the House of Representatives, key committees controlling media law and policy – Energy and Commerce and its Communications and Technology Subcommittee – will get new leadership that may be less friendly to broadcasting interests than the outgoing Republicans. Out at the [...]
By Associated Press, washingtonpost.com, 11-5-18 The Supreme Court has ended the court fight over repealed Obama-era “net neutrality” rules that required internet providers to treat all online traffic equally. The court on Monday rejected appeals from the telecommunications industry seeking to throw out a lower court ruling in favor of the “net neutrality” rules. The [...]
Participated in an amicus brief (with other amici) filed with the U.S. Supreme Court on a petition for a writ of certiorari in Colorado Independent v. District Court. The brief urges the Court to grant certiorari because the Colorado Supreme Court’s rejection of a First Amendment right of access to judicial records inhibits public monitoring [...]
FCC Commissioner Michael O’Rielly To Deliver Keynote Address FOR RELEASE: Oct. 23, 2018 Contact: Richard T. Kaplar The Media Institute 703-243-5700 Arlington, Va., October 23, 2018 – The Media Institute will bestow awards on journalist Chris Wallace, host of “FOX News Sunday,” and Cathy Hughes, founder and chairperson of Urban One, Inc., at its annual [...]
Nationwide Event Fosters Public Awareness of Free Speech FOR RELEASE: October 19, 2018 Contact: Richard T. Kaplar The Media Institute 703-243-5700 Arlington, Va., October 19, 2018 – Free Speech Week (FSW) begins Monday, Oct. 22, and runs through Sunday, Oct. 28. Media organizations, schools, universities, and community groups around the country will promote free speech [...]
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 10-11-18 President Donald Trump Thursday (Oct. 11) signed the Hatch-Goodlatte Music Modernization Act, which updates the music licensing framework for the digital age and provides congressional overnight of a Justice Department review of long-standing consent decrees with ASCAP and BMI. While the bill includes providing payments for previously [...]
By John Eggerton, Broadcasting & Cable Online, 10-10-18 FCC commissioner Michael O'Rielly pitched Kentucky broadcasters on his proposal to deregulate children's TV rules. Generally broadcasters support a lighter touch, but O'Rielly's pitch was delivered with some tough love. In a speech to the Kentucky Broadcasters Association, O'Rielly ticked off stats showing that kids are increasingly [...]
Participated in an amicus brief (with other amici) filed with the U.S. Supreme Court in Nieves v. Bartlett. The case deals with the question of whether the existence of probable cause defeats a First Amendment retaliatory arrest claim as a matter of law. The brief notes that where arrests of journalists are motivated by [...]