Volume 7 Number 1
Bulletin Fall 2001
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Fighting Back Against Information Shutdown, At Home and Abroad
This essay originally appeared on the Web site of the Poynter Institute, www.poynter.org, and is reproduced with permission.
News Council Rules on Complaints Brought by Government Bodies
During the summer of 2001, the Minnesota News Council (MNC) heard two complaints brought by government bodies against local newspapers.
J. Edward Gerald Remembered
University of Minnesota’s School of Journalism and Mass Communication Professor Emeritus J. Edward Gerald passed away on July 18.
Journalists’ Records Subpoenaed in Separate Cases
Two recent cases have raised concern in the journalistic community about the Justice Department’s policy on issuing subpoenas against journalists.
War Against Terrorism Means New Challenges for News Media
Responding to the events of September 11, 2001, the White House and other governmental agencies have made requests, and in some instances, placed restrictions on the media and American citizens regarding speech and information.
Ohio Man Jailed for Diary Contents
In early July, an Ohio man, 22-year-old Brian Dalton, was sentenced to serve ten years in prison for writing about sexual fantasies in his diary.
Secret Police Files Center of Privacy Debate in Former East Germany
Two important rights — the right to privacy and the public’s right to know — are struggling to find balance in the former German Democratic Republic.
Silha Center Co-Sponsors Forum on Terrorist Attacks on America
News reporting as it should be done, with greater focus on hard news, issues, and international concerns, has resurfaced in the wake of the attacks on New York and Washington on September 11.
Correction: Dale Earnhardt
A story about access to Dale Earnhardt’s autopsy photos, “New Florida Law Closes Door on Autopsy Photos” appeared in the Summer 2001 issue of the Bulletin.
Judicial Conference Casts Vote on Accessibility of Electronic Files
On Sept. 19, 2001, the Judicial Conference of the United States adopted a report with recommendations regarding policies that govern the electronic availability of federal court case file information.
Guidelines Issued for Coverage of Suicides
A panel of experts in behavioral sciences, suicide and media studies issued a set of guidelines for news outlets’ coverage of suicides on Aug. 9, 2001.
Bartnicki v. Vopper Topic of Sixteenth Annual Silha Lecture
First Amendment attorney Lee Levine says that the biggest victory for the press in Bartnicki v. Vopper is that the Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle established in New York Times v. Sullivan, that the media cannot be punished for publishing truthful information about a matter of public concern.