Government Attempts to Restrict Press Freedom

1
Government Attempts to Restrict Press Freedom
ALIEN AND SEDITION LAWS 1798
Fined, jailed anyone who spoke or wrote
false, scandalous and malicious writings against
the government

2
Government Attempts to Restrict Press Freedom
ESPIONAGE ACT
1918 Jailed anyone who said or
wrote anything considered helping the
enemy SMITH ACT
1940 Reporters
submitted stories for censorship (Voluntary
code worked out between Office of
Censorship and the press)
3
Government Attempts to Restrict Press Freedom
HOUSE UN-AMERICAN ACTIVITIESCOMMITTEE AND
ARMY-McCARTHY HEARINGS
late 1940s -

early 1950s


Hunting for Communists Hollywood
blacklist
4
Prior Restraint Instances
NEAR vs. MINNESOTA 1931
Nears newspaper printed names of
Prohibition violators. State ordered paper
to stop. U.S. Supreme Court ruled with
Near, but said government could control
release of certain information (troop
movements, etc.) PENTAGON PAPERS
1971 N.Y. Times ordered
to stop printing papers about Viet Nam war
history. U.S. Supreme Court ruled for
Times.
5
Prior Restraint Instances
PROGRESSIVE
1979 Magazine ordered not to
publish H-bomb instructions. Information
published in other newspapers (Chicago
Tribune). U.S. Supreme Court ruled for
Progressive. ? GRENADA
1983 Reporters not allowed
to travel with troops. GULF WAR
1991 Press blackout
for 24 hours. Created press pools and pool
stories censored by military.
6
More War Reporting

• AFGHANISTAN Post Sept. 11, 2001
• Press access controlled citing security reaso\
• Press pools used and military provided its own
  videotape
• IRAQ WAR
• New term embedded reporters
• Still subject to censorship
• Friend of troops or unbiased account
• Public perception Seeing the real war