«They take journalism really seriously because they
know the force that it is and can be».
Christiane Amanpour
Freedom of the press is one
of the most valued rights protected under the United States Constitution. Among
other things, the constitution’s First Amendment bars creation of any law
limiting freedom of speech, or of the press.
American colleges and
universities have a long history of producing journalists for the country’s
news media. And many of them get their start by working at their college’s
student newspaper.
These student reporters
write about many subjects, from school sports to local events. But a new report
suggests that some newspapers publishing stories critical of their colleges are
under attack.
Who or what is threatening
these publications? The report claims school administrators are to blame.
The report is called
“Threats to the Independence of Student Media.” It is a joint project of four
groups: the American Association of University Professors, the College Media
Association, the National Coalition against Censorship, and the Student Press
Law Center.
All four organizations say
they support academic freedom in higher education.
Released in December, their
report lists actions that college and university administrators have taken
because of critical stories in student newspapers.
For example, the University
of Kansas reduced financial support for its student newspaper after the student
government voted to do so in April 2015.
The paper’s student editors
then took a university administrator to court. They claimed the vote was
retaliation for a 2014 story critical of the student government election
process. Finally, the student government agreed to give the newspaper its full
funding.
The report also lists
actions taken against advisors to student-operated newspapers.
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Presenta:
M.C. Enrique Ruiz Díaz.
Con título y cédula profesional
5632071 en la Maestría en Ciencias de la Computación.
Egresado del Instituto Tecnológico de Orizaba. Veracruz, México.