Journalists beware: Tweets can be libelous

Contrary to common-held belief that Tweets are ephemeral and not subject to libel law, statements on Twitter are fair game for libel suits say legal experts. So far there have been few suits, but as public use and awareness of Twitter increases, libel cases are expected to increase. So far observers could only come up [...]

Wisconsin governor rejects transparency on e-mails

Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker is balking at producing the 8,000 e-mails he claims to have received overwhelmingly supporting his Budget Repair Bill that limits union bargaining power. To force the governor’s hand, the Isthmus Publishing Co. and The Associated Press are now filing a Freedom of Information Act request in a county court. From the [...]

Consultant argues layoffs, lower salaries will not save newspapers

A newspaper consultant says that traditional cost-cutting methods of staff cuts and lower salaries will not go far enough in generating consistent revenues for newspaper companies. The publishers must concentrate on creating value including vital local news and features. -db MediaShift October 18, 2010 By Neil Heyside Newspapers can be saved and they can get [...]

Military prohibits images of troops killed in action in Afghanistan

New rules governing journalists embedded in a military unit in Afghanistan prohibit photos or videos of U.S. troops killed in action. This revises early guidelines allowing images of death so long as the Department of Defense had notified  the troops’ family. -DB The Reporters Committee for Freedom of the Press October 9, 2009 By Amanda [...]

Information wants to be free, but the creators of information need to eat. Whether to charge for journalism online is fundamentally a question about legal rights.

By Peter Scheer A debate rages in what remains of the newspaper industry over the question of whether papers should charge for their content online or, as most papers now do, give it away for free in hopes of reaping faster overall revenue growth through internet advertising. As more and more publications contemplate their own [...]