The Newseum's annual survey finds generally strong public support for First Amendment principles, but that support wanes when the public is asked whether constitutional principles "go too far" in protecting hateful or offensive speakers.
One-quarter of Americans strongly believe that "offensive" speech should be unprotected on college campuses, and the percent is even higher for speech in high schools, says a newly released survey by the Newseum Institute, which also finds diminishing awareness of First Amendment rights generally.
Reporters and media lawyers seemed optimistic about the proposed legislation that would establish a media shield law during a panel at the Newseum in Washington on Wednesday."I've got a better feeling now than I've ever had,” said Kevin Goldberg, legal counsel to the American Society of News Editors, even though the bill still faces major obstacles in Congress.New York Times correspondent Charlie Savage was less optimistic, saying he was skeptical any form of the bill would pass.The bill, known as the 2013 Free Flow of Information Act, passed in the Senate Judiciary Committee last week.
Five former and current Dade County,Fla., high school student journalists who helped stave off anattempt by district officials to crack down on student press rightswere named this year's recipients of the Newseum's Courage in Student Journalism Awards.