This book is divided into three major sections: principles and development of freedom of expression, rights in conflict with free expression, and communications law and the public interest. Specific areas covered in the two chapters of the first section are freedom and control and a historical background of freedom of expression. The second section contains nine chapters which cover defamation, the constitutional defense against libel suits, traditional defenses in libel, the law of privacy and the media, copyright, free press and fair trial, criminal words, contempt, and obscenity and blasphemy. The five chapters of the final section deal with access to government information, regulation of broadcasting and advertising, antitrust law and the mass media, and taxation and licensing. Appendixes contain abbreviations used in the book, selected court and pleading terms, a bibliography, advertising standards from the television code, and a discussion of "Zurcher versus Stanford Daily." (FL)