Part of the monthly Saturday Review supplement, "Education in America, sponsored by the Charles R. Kettering Foundation.

A descriptive study based on Egyptian law, printed sources, and interviews clarifies our picture of the Egyptian Press by examining its status as a constitutionally mandated "Fourth Estate." The constitutional amendment, the resultant Egyptian Press Law, and the "Law Of Shame" (all passed in 1980), are designed to create a…

Noting that the nature and value of free speech depends on the norms and goals of a society and on that society's appropriate form of government, this paper presents a normative theory of democracy and from that theory formulates a theory of free speech. The first section defines a number of terms used in the paper and clarifies several of the…

The United States Supreme Court's decision in "Chandler v. Florida" allowing cameras in the courtroom has been hailed by some as a victory for the broadcast media and interpreted by others as an open invitation to televise criminal trials. A careful reading of the case, however, leads to another conclusion--that the Court has left the…

This paper contains an analysis of Justice William Brennan's Supreme Court opinions concerning cases on freedom of expression and his interpretations of Alexander Meiklejohn's theory of actual malice in cases of libel. Particular attention is paid to Brennan's landmark contribution to the law of libel, his opinion in "New York Times v.…

This report discusses recent cases involving freedom of the press that have been heard before the Burger court of the United States Supreme Court. The report discerns a trend toward treating the press like an ordinary citizen; this is a reversal of the view of the Warren court that the First Amendment creates special rights for the press so that…

Questions concerning the relative protection afforded by the speech and press clauses of the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, the law of libel, and protection for the editorial process are the focus of this paper. The first section summarizes arguments for First Amendment press protection, focusing on the question of whether…

In this address, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) reviews commitments he made as he took office and presents some of his views on the broadcasting industry, government regulation, and the overall communications environment. He reiterates his opposition to program censorship and notes that the FCC has been successful in…

Designed for librarians planning community oriented programs, this annotated bibliography critically reviews literature defending the young adult's right to intellectual freedom. Works examined include U.S. English language journal articles and short sections of books published between 1967 and 1979. Within the bibliography and the review, topical…

This paper discusses the legal aspects of public school students' First Amendment free speech rights in the school setting. Tinker v. Des Moines School District, the most notable court decision upholding free speech rights, is used as a basis for discussion throughout. The paper reviews the current legal status of students' free speech rights as…

As part of an examination of whether newspaper chains help member papers with legal problems, this paper reviews a series of courtroom and court-record access cases involving the largest newspaper chain in the United States, the Gannett Company. The paper attempts to determine the extent to which Gannett has financially and legally helped its…

Justice John Paul Stevens of the United States Supreme Court has ruled on obscenity cases in seven instances since his appointment. His rulings reveal that he regards obscenity as a nuisance rather than as a danger threatening to undermine the nation's morality, that he supports a nationwide standard to adjudicate obscenity cases, and that he…

One means of providing at least some assurance of more openness in governmental meetings is through enactment of state "Open Meetings" laws. This paper reviews state laws on such meetings. Two questionnaires were sent to gather basic data: one to state legislative reference services and the other to editorial officials on newspapers in…

In this booklet the content and implications of the First Amendment are analyzed. Historical origins of free speech from ancient Greece to England before the discovery of America, free speech in colonial America, and the Bill of Rights and its meaning for free speech are outlined. The evolution of the First Amendment is described, and the…