JRN 375 Lecture Notes - Lecture 42: 1968 Democratic National Convention, Ben Bradlee, Seditious Libel
JRN 375 Lecture 42
Tet Offensive
Public opinion turning points in Vietnam when people stopped believing we would
win the war. New Years battle when North Vietnam invaded Saigon. Support for
continuing the Vietnam War declined greatly. The North Vietnamese took over the
American Embassy
1968 Democratic Convention
Assassination of Robert Kennedy. Many young people gave up hope.
New York Times vs. Sullivan
Civil rights occurring in 1964. Sullivan sued the NYT for incorrect information in an
ad for civil rights. An attempt by Alabama to use seditious libel to stop the NYT from
covering civil rights.
O'Brien vs. the U.S./Symbolic Speech
All men had to register for the draft, and carry a card. The men burned their draft
cards. This created a new form of free speech (symbolic speech) and the Court
upheld the law because it had been passed for valid reasons and had only an
incidental impact on free speech.
Branzburg vs. Hayes
Dealt with Shield Laws. Journalists often got information by promising not to reveal
their sources, but the government tried to force them to reveal sources. The result
was that states could pass their own individual shield laws.
Washington Post
Published articles and stories about Nixon, which helped it gain national popularity
Katharine Graham
Publisher of the Washington Post who was determined to make it a great paper. She
also gave the OK to publish some of the Pentagon Papers
Ben Bradlee
Became an exec editor -> Nixon did not like him because of his friendship with
Kennedy
Pentagon Papers Case
Document Summary
Public opinion turning points in vietnam when people stopped believing we would win the war. New years battle when north vietnam invaded saigon. Support for continuing the vietnam war declined greatly. Sullivan sued the nyt for incorrect information in an ad for civil rights. An attempt by alabama to use seditious libel to stop the nyt from covering civil rights. All men had to register for the draft, and carry a card. This created a new form of free speech (symbolic speech) and the court upheld the law because it had been passed for valid reasons and had only an incidental impact on free speech. Journalists often got information by promising not to reveal their sources, but the government tried to force them to reveal sources. The result was that states could pass their own individual shield laws. Published articles and stories about nixon, which helped it gain national popularity.
