A communications professor not too keen on free speech
Tell me I didn’t just read a professor of communications write this: “Professional associations representing the media should stop wasting time asserting access “rights” that don’t exist.” That’s Prof. Jeffrey McCall’s position. He’s a professor of communication at DePauw University, and he has no problem with the NFL ban of news cameras from sidelines. Prof. McCall writes in the Indianapolis Star: “…nobody will miss a few minutes of low-angle video from any particular local station.” In 2004, Prof. McCall wrote of his support of the FCC crackdowns: “First Amendment framers would cringe to think their precious free speech principle, designed to fuel the conversation of democracy, would be used to defend the ‘rights’ of smut broadcasters to shock the public with messages that have no political or social value.” (Apparently DePauw professors now get to decide which speech is shocking and has no political or social value, and won’t protect it by the First Amendment.) McCall opposes local stations using VNRs, but has no problem with them trying to report sports news with other people’s video. (Last day for students to drop classes at DePauw is Oct. 13. I’m just saying.)
24 comments September 3rd, 2006
