Court Backs Invasion-of-Privacy Award
Date: 19 December 1974
By WARREN WEAVER Jr.Special to The New York Times
Warren WEAVER
US Sup Ct on Dec 18 overturns ruling of lower ct in case involving invasion of privacy suit filed by Mrs Margaret Mae Cantrell, widow of coal miner killed in collapse of Ohio River bridge at Point Pleasant, W Va, against Cleveland Plain Dealer which printed article about her and her children in Aug '68; Ct, in 8-to-1 decision, emphasized that it does not intend to change law with ruling, either by permitting states to relax standards of proof required to hold newspapers liable or by broadening privacy decision of '67 to cover all such 'false light' cases; decision appears likely to create new pressure for caution on part of publishers in printing accounts of personal circumstances of private citizens and to make suits on invasion of privacy more serious threat to press
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Group Aids Defense of Reporters on Subpoenas and 'Gag' Orders by Judges; Frequent Gag Orders Budget of $60,000
Date: 18 December 1974
By MARTIN ARNOLDSpecial to The New York Times
Article on tasks of Reporters Com for Press Freedom; during '74 judges around US have issued about 20 'gag' orders against press, that forbid reporters and their newspapers, TV or radio stations to rept certain information about ct cases, mostly criminal trials; main function of com is to be clearing house for information about attacks on press freedom and for guidance to reporters and editors who are defending themselves against such attacks; com tries to find legal aid for journalists who cannot afford their own and supplies legal data to attys who defend journalists; Jack C Landau (Newhouse Newspapers) notes that there are several long-range threats to press freedom including various privacy bills that are now before Cong; notes another threat is indifference that some sectors of press have toward govt and judicial attacks upon it; John Taylor (Boston Globe) comments; much of early work in com was done by Landau and Fred P Graham; other com members are Lyle Denniston (Washington Star-News), Robert C Maynard (Washington Post), Jack Nelson (Los Angeles Times) and Eileen Shanahan (NY Times); current budget of orgn is $60,000; most of budget goes to support qrly newslr, of which 4,000 copies are printed and distributed at cost of about 80c per copy; E Barrett Prettyman Jr, atty for com, comments (M)
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Newspaper Talks Resume
Date: 19 December 1974
Contract talks between striking publishers of Cleveland Plain Dealer and Cleveland Press resume on Dec 18; there is no immediate rept of progress
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JUDGE WILL DECIDE ON NEWSMAN'S BID; Issue Is Whether Reporter Can Be Forced to Testify
Date: 19 December 1974
NYS Sup Ct Justice George Roberts reserves decision on Dec 18 on whether Natl Star reporter Peter Bridge can be subpoenaed to testify about article he wrote after telephone conversations with Ira Pecznick, prosecution witness in Campisi murder and robbery trial; Bridge concedes he temporarily moved from Belleville to Bklyn to avoid NJ subpoena (M)
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U.S.-China Relations
Date: 18 December 1974
By Jerome Alan Cohen
Jerome Cohen
Prof Jerome Alan Cohen article backing normalization of Chinese-US ties, as pledged in Shanghai communique at end of ex-Pres Nixon's visit to China, but pointing out Chinese actions which interfere with broadening of understanding in various fields; discusses specific moves involving exchanges in fields of culture, journalism and educ
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Mao Meets Mobut in China; Notes on People
Date: 18 December 1974
Bing Crosby family participates in its 10th annual Xmas appearance at San Francisco's Laguna Honda Hosp for disabled and chronically ill; family members participating include: wife Kathryn, children Harry, Mary Frances and Nathaniel (S)
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