A review of recent state court decisions in libel cases suggests that the law of defamation is in as much disarray as it was when the Supreme Court recognized the problem and tried to remedy it with its 1974 decision in "Gertz v. Robert Welch Inc." (GT)

Examines federal court and Supreme Court decisions concerning news piracy, record piracy, and tape piracy; concludes that, on the basis of historical analysis, news piracy will be punished. (GW)

Discusses Federal Communications Commission policies concerning comparative license renewal standards; examines the application of those standards to the case involving control of television station WESH in Daytona Beach, Florida; and evaluates the implications of that case. (FL)

Measures balance, fairness, and defamation in local stories containing controversy and covering law enforcement, education, local government, and business. Finds that most stories lack balance and that the opposing side of the controversy was not contacted in 28 percent of the instances. (RS)

An analysis of related cases since the Supreme Court case "Branzburg v Hayes," which concerned the news reporter's privilege question, shows that state and federal courts have been inconsistent in their decisions and that every decision in favor of journalists has been a qualified one. (GT)

Considers the way in which Drew Pearson--who was involved in more than 100 libel actions during his reporting career--fared in the courts and was affected by the ever-evolving libel law. (GT)

Concludes that the actual malice test emerging from the "Times v. Sullivan" decision is inadequate protection against the threat of seditious libel. (FL)

Discusses the Fair Use'' doctrine regarding copyrights as established in Rosemont v. Random House and its effect on copyright law currently before Congress. (RB)

Examines private individual defamation cases that include discussion of whether the reasonably prudent publisher/editor or the reasonably prudent person should set the standard of care when negligence is at issue. Considers the implication of judicial reasoning in adopting one standard of care rather than the other. (RS)

Describes the efforts of Jerome Barron in arguing for public access laws to the print media and presents the results of state and Supreme Court decisions regarding right-of-access laws. (RB)

Discusses exemptions to the Freedom of Information Act that prevent disclosure of some types of corporate information supplied to the federal government. Examines case law that has developed around these exemptions and gages the degree to which they block access to corporate information held by the government. (GW)

Courts recognize the moral rights of authors and creators as a triable cause, but only infrequently do they decide cases on this basis. (KS)

Discusses the responsibilities of publishers and freelance writers concerning the liability involved in defamatory statements. Reviews several court cases pertaining to publisher liability and claims that, if a writer is not under the immediate control or supervision of the publisher, the publisher may avoid liability. (MM)

Reports that daily newspaper editors feel that they are no less aggressive but may be more careful as a result of recent decisions by the United States Supreme Court. (FL)