As more student media move from being merely a showcasefor football players and prom queens to being serious news organizations,not afraid to address controversial or sensitive subjects, theyface many of the hazards that have long confronted their commercialcounterparts: threats of libel lawsuits, invasion of privacy claims,charges of bias, etc.
Author: Mike Hiestand
Ask SPLC: Can I use a popular song for a video?
Q:We are putting together a highlight reel of our football team's season that we'll show on our school's cable student TV station. Can we use Queen's song "We Will Rock You" as background music? A: Unfortunately no. The general rule is that if you've not created a copyrighted work yourself you must either obtain prior explicit… Continue reading Ask SPLC: Can I use a popular song for a video?
Back to School Checklist: “The Talk”
A fresh, new school year is upon us. The newsroom is tidy. The floor recently waxed, the cabinets and drawers are in apple-pie order and the story files nicely organized.
Illinois Speech Rights of Student Journalists Act and College Campus Press Acts (2016 and 2008)
After passing the Illinois legislature with unanimous support, the Illinois New Voices Act was signed into law by Governor Bruce Rauner on July 29, 2016.
SPLC tip sheet for student media advisers
A guide to fighting (and surviving) censorship.
Covering protests and demonstrations: Staying safe if your campus is next to be “occupied”
As the Occupy Wall Street movement gathers steam in both New York City and at satellite locations across the country and internationally, some of those covering the event for commercial media have been called out for watching from afar, failing (or refusing) to take the time to talk with the protesters and hear their message.
Pennsylvania court says it’s okay for college to snoop on student email
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— Elizabethtown College recruiting slogan
A former student at Elizabethtown College was, indeed, probably surprised earlier this month after a Pennsylvania federal district court ruled that the school broke no rules when it hired an investigation service to snoop on his email account without his knowledge.In a
Police quest for Illinois student’s recorded interview is a timely Privacy Protection Act reminder
It started as a routine news item about two young business owners in Carbondale, Ill., who were having trouble getting a liquor license to operate a bar.
Supreme Court rejects Upside Down First Amendment claim
The U.S. Supreme Court today rejected a First Amendment claim by a Nevada lawmaker who argued that the state's conflict of interest laws requiring elected officials to recuse themselves from governance votes on issues where they have a conflict of interest violated his free speech rights.It was an odd, but important case. In a nutshell, the case involved Sparks, Nev., city councilman Michael A.
Kentucky principal censors story about teacher found undressed in car with 17-year-old boy