AAN News
Dallas Bans News Boxes in Parts of Citynew
Yesterday, the City Council unanimously approved an ordinance banning freestanding news boxes from the city center and surrounding neighborhoods, the Dallas Morning News reports. Existing news boxes will be replaced by eight-window modular newsracks and standardized news boxes. The cost for publishers to distribute in the newsracks will be $179 per year for each newsrack, according to the Morning News. Currently, publishers pay a $5 licensing fee per news box. Placement in the newsracks will be determined by lotteries. Dallas Observer publisher Stuart Folb was quick to criticize the ordinance, saying "an unlucky publisher could be eliminated from the marketplace." Folb also hinted at litigation against the city if this "results in unreasonable restrictions on a publisher's ability to distribute its newspaper."
Dallas Morning News (second item) |
06-21-2007 9:31 am |
Legal News
Tags: Circulation, Management
Despite Progress, White House Still Opposes Federal Shield Lawnew
Last week, at the House Judiciary Committee's first hearing on HR 2102, the Federal Shield Law, a Justice Department official reiterated the Bush administration's position against such a bill, the AP reports. "History has demonstrated that the protections already in place, including the department's own rigorous internal review of media subpoena requests, are sufficient," Assistant Attorney General Rachel Brand told the Judiciary Committee. Free press advocates, including New York Times columnist William Safire, testified on behalf of the bill. "The movement to force journalists to reveal their sources is an attempt to turn the press into an arm of the law," Safire said. The AP reports that a major sticking point remains the legislation's definition of "journalist," which now includes bloggers. Spokespeople for House and Senate Democratic leaders say they like the bill but have no plans to advance it, according to the AP. Currently, 32 states and the District of Columbia have shield laws in place. AAN is a member of an alliance of over 40 media companies and professional organizations that has issued statements of support for the legislation.
AP via San Francisco Chronicle |
06-19-2007 11:03 am |
Legal News
Sen. Kyl Fesses Up: He's 'Senator Secrecy'new
The Republican from Arizona was unmasked following an ultimately successful campaign by the Society of Professional Journalists to publicly identify the senator who placed a secret hold on the OPEN Government Act. The OGA would improve the government's response to public requests for information under the federal
Freedom of Information Act, and is supported by AAN and dozens of other groups, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and the conservative Heritage Foundation. The bill has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 308-117 and was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Kyl tells the Associated Press that he'll continue to block a vote of the full Senate until the Justice Department's "uncharacteristically strong" objections to the bill are assuaged. His Republican colleague on the Judiciary Committee, Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX), disagrees: "This is an important, bipartisan issue that deserves the consideration of the full Senate," Cornyn says. AAN encourages its members to call their senators to let them know that you support the OPEN Government Act and oppose Sen. Kyl's obstructionist tactics.
AP via Yahoo! News |
06-01-2007 3:26 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
AAN Encourages Members to Unmask Anonymous Senator
An unknown Republican senator has placed a secret hold on the Open Government Act, a bill supported by AAN that would improve the Freedom of Information Act. Although the OGA has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 308-117 and was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee, this anonymous supporter of government secrecy is preventing the bill from reaching the Senate floor for a vote. AAN strongly encourages its members to join the Society of Professional Journalist's crowdsourcing effort to unmask the secretive senator.
AAN |
05-30-2007 5:51 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Man Sues Alt-Weekly for Running Ladies' Night Adsnew
Steve Horner has been agressively suing bars and clubs that offer women free admission or special drink deals for discrimination since the early '90s. Now he's apparently moving on to more substantial targets. "I've put my money to frying bigger fish," he tells Denver's Westword. He's filed a complaint against the alt-weekly for publishing "at least 30 discriminatory ads" featuring the dreaded ladies' night over a five month period, and is asking for $15,000 in damages (roughly $500 per ad).
Westword |
05-25-2007 9:41 am |
Legal News
Media Group Wants FOIA Reforms Passed By Memorial Daynew
Editor & Publisher |
05-24-2007 10:58 am |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Bob Norman & Village Voice Media Hit With Lawsuitnew
Former South Florida Sun-Sentinel writer Buddy Nevins has sued the New Times Broward-Palm Beach writer and VVM for defamation and invasion of privacy/false light, the Sun-Sentinel reports. Nevins claims that Norman falsely stated that he was forced out from the daily paper over a story that later had to be corrected. Nevins also alleges that Norman falsely claimed he had an "unholy alliance" with lobbyist Ali Waldman that "ruined" him as a reporter. "This may get interesting, but there is no joy in Pulpville tonight," Norman writes on his blog, the Daily Pulp. "I like Buddy and believe he's done awesome work in his career ... but I stand by my work and wish Buddy the best."
South Florida Sun-Sentinel |
05-03-2007 2:16 pm |
Legal News
Supreme Court Will Not Hear Letter-to-the-editor Libel Casenew
The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press |
04-30-2007 8:45 am |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Open Government Coalition Asks Feds to Keep Guantanamo Records
A coalition led by OpentheGovernment.org yesterday sent a letter (PDF file) to Attorney General Alberto Gonzales protesting a 2004 U.S. District Protective Order (PDF file) that doesn't require the government to retain a set of records relating to detainees at Guantanamo Bay. The letter, which was signed by AAN and over twenty other media and non-profit organizations, was also sent (PDF file) to Archivist of the United States Allen Weinstein, Sen. Carl Levin (D-MI) and the Senate Judiciary Committee.
AAN News |
04-27-2007 11:44 am |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
Nashville Scene Wins Legal Fight Against Corrections Departmentnew
Last week, the alt-weekly sued the Tennessee Department of Corrections (DOC) for information about its review of the state's execution protocol. The City Paper reports that Davidson County Chancellor Claudia Bonnyman ruled yesterday that all documents relating to the review must be turned over to the Scene. "We're thrilled," says Scene editor Liz Garrigan. "This isn't really about the paper, this is about accountability in government." Bonnyman gave the state until Thursday to file an appeal. With the May 2 deadline for the DOC's recommendations looming, it's unclear what the Scene will be able to do with the documents, especially if the state continues to delay the process with an appeal. "Time is of the essence," Garrigan says, adding that she'd like to publish a story about the DOC's deliberations by the paper's next publishing deadline.
The City Paper |
04-26-2007 7:24 am |
Legal News
Nashville Scene Sues for Information Denied by Dept. of Correctionsnew
In February, Tennessee Gov. Phil Bredesen issued an executive order halting all executions for 90 days so the Department of Corrections (DOC) could perform "a comprehensive review" of the state's execution protocol. Soon thereafter, the Scene filed an open-records request seeking information on the DOC's deliberations, but it was denied. With the May 2 deadline for the DOC's recommendations looming, the Scene filed suit yesterday in Davidson County Chancery Court. "We're talking about how we're going to go about killing people in this state," editor Liz Garrigan tells the Nashville Post. "We think that ought to be an open discussion." Nashville's City Paper reports the DOC has conducted its review entirely behind closed doors, with the exception of one 40-minute public forum.
The Nashville Post | The City Paper |
04-18-2007 8:19 am |
Legal News
FOIA Reform Bill Approved by Senate Judiciary Committee
The OPEN Government Act will now head to the full Senate for debate, according to a statement released today by the Sunshine in Government Initiative, a coalition of media groups that includes AAN and has promoted FOIA reform since 2005. Last month, the House of Representatives passed a similar bill by an overwhelming margin. Both bills would restore meaningful deadlines for government agencies; require agencies to create hotlines and tracking systems for requests; create an ombudsman to resolve disputes and avoid litigation; ease the recovery of legal fees if a requester is forced to sue; and penalize agencies for delays. AAN members are encouraged to contact their senators to voice support for the bill.
(FULL STORY)
Sunshine in Government Initiative Press Release |
04-12-2007 1:50 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Editorial, Management
New Jersey Case Could Become Legal Landmark for Newspapers and ISPsnew
Editor & Publisher |
04-04-2007 1:58 pm |
Legal News
Tags: Electronic Publishing, Management
Boston Phoenix Libel Suit Returns to Court Todaynew
In Dec. 2004, a jury awarded $950,000 to Maryland prosecutor Marc Mandel in a libel suit against the Boston alt-weekly. Twenty months later, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit overturned that ruling and ordered a new trial, which gets its first hearing before a judge today, the Boston Herald reports. Former staff writer Kristen Lombardi, editor Susan Ryan-Vollmar and attorneys for the Phoenix will argue that Mandel was a public figure.
Boston Herald |
03-29-2007 2:36 pm |
Legal News
Boise Weekly Loses Open Records Decisionnew
The alt-weekly's request for documents regarding violations at a private psychiatric facility was set back yesterday, Boise Weekly reports. Late last year, the newspaper and the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare started looking into allegations against Intermountain Hospital and requested the relevant documents under the Idaho Open Records Act. Shortly thereafter, the facility won a temporary restraining order from District Judge Joel Horton that sealed all the records, which was upheld yesterday by Judge Michael McLaughlin. Publisher Sally Freeman says the paper is not yet sure if it will appeal the decision.
Boise Weekly |
03-21-2007 8:40 am |
Legal News
