News 

TEXAS   ·   1/10/2006   ·   LIBEL
Book calling local church a "cult" not defamatory
A church which was included in a book about cults was not defamed, an appellate court ruled, because being labeled a cult did not necessarily associate the church with the illegal acts of other cults.

NEW YORK   ·   1/9/2006   ·   FREEDOM OF INFORMATION
No privacy violation if detainee identities revealed
Detainees at the U.S.-run Guantanamo Bay prison have no expectation of personal privacy, a federal judge ruled in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit.

CALIFORNIA   ·   1/9/2006   ·   PRIOR RESTRAINTS
Judge issues do-not-publish order to newspaper
A state court ordered a newspaper not to print information obtained under the state's public records law because it could compromise a company's trade secrets.

Alito endorses free speech in public square

...Responding to questions from Sen. Mike DeWine, R-Ohio, the judge also addressed limits on free speech in public and discussed legal distinctions that have been drawn between commercial speech and political speech.

AT THE FCC
MARTIN SAYS HE'LL STEER CLEAR OF POLITICS
[SOURCE: EETimes, AUTHOR: David Benjamin]
Speaking at the Consumer Electronics Show last week, FCC Chairman Kevin Martin made it clear that it is his job to mediate among a host of contentious participants in a complicated industry while leaving political controversies -- whenever possible -- to politicians and corporate lobbyists. He emphasized that the FCC's job, in areas that range from broadcast spectrum auctions to broadband deployment and Voice-over-Internet Protocol (VoIP), is to ensure "a level playing field" and prioritize consumer access. "It is critical that consumers have unfettered access to the Internet and all the services it provides," said Chairman Martin. "Washington could be concerned if providers were to block access to information and sites traditionally available on the Internet." He added, however, that broadband providers or broadcasters seeking payment for new, costly, premium or value-added services need not fear FCC interference. In fact, he said, under his leadership, the FCC won't step in to mediate between providers and consumers until it has received direct complaints from consumers.


FCC REPRIMANDS MORE STATIONS OVER KIDS RULES
[SOURCE: Broadcasting&Cable, AUTHOR: John Eggerton]
The FCC admonished two more TV stations for violating kids TV reporting rules, but approved their license renewals anyway. WWAZ Fond Du Lac, Wis., was cited for running a commercial in kids show The Nana Puddin' Show, for Puddin' branded products. Pax's WTPX Antigo, Wis., was reprimanded for failing to provide electronic program guide publishers the correct target age of its FCC-friendly educational programming, as FCC rules require.

Howard Stern makes his debut on satellite radio

Russert resisted testifying about conversations with Libby
Washington Post
Court papers released Monday reveal that lawyers for Tim Russert suspected in the spring of 2004 that his testimony could snare "Scooter" Libby in a lie and the "Meet the Press" host resisted testifying at the time about private conversations with Libby. Carol D. Leonnig reports Russert and his attorneys argued in previously sealed court filings in June 2004 that he shouldn't have to tell a grand jury about that conversation, because it would harm Russert's relationship with other sources. He eventually testified.