donal brown

A recent survey of almost 12,000 working journalists revealed that they loved their work but were keenly aware of the challenges facing them and their industry. (Pew Research Center, June 14, 2022, by Jeffrey Gottfried, Amy Mitchell, Mark Jurkowitz and Jacob Liedke) An award-winning young journalist found himself priced out of journalism, hobbled by student debt and a devastating rent hike. Despite earning an income of just above Memphis median household income, Carrington J. Tatum

Legal scholar David Han, SSRN, April 8, 2022, argues that the compelled speech doctrine has only been made more murky by recent Supreme Court decisions. The doctrine is also notable for its fluidity so that courts can “justify a wide range of disparate results.” Under the compelled speech doctrine, the First Amendment limits the government in requiring people to voice or advocate government messages. For related FAC coverage, click here, here and here.

Tony Mauro in Freedom Forum, June 9, 2022, cites a study by two legal scholars finding that the Roberts court has scant interest in defending the free press as a cornerstone of our democracy. RonNell Andersen Jones and Sonja West analyzed Supreme Court mentions of the press from 1784 and notes a precipitous drop in mentions of the press and and a lack of respect in recent Court discussions of the media. For related FAC

Florida is expected to file a petition to the Supreme Court to take up a Florida law that prevents social media companies from removing politicians from their platforms. The case is now in federal courts in Florida. (Tampa Bay Times, June 20, 2022, by Jim Saunders of the News Service of Florida) For related FAC coverage, click here, here and here.

In the wake of the mass shooting of school children and teachers in Uvalde, Texas, authorities are using the “Dead Suspect Loophole” to prevent access to public records in search of the truth about police conduct. The suspect died in police custody so the police can claim that a criminal case is pending and deny access. Faced with stonewalling on the investigation, public trust is in jeopardy. (Houston Public Media, June 14, 2022, by David