Archive of UserLand's first discussion group, started October 5, 1998.

Re: TV & the First Amendment

Author:tom.jeffery@hsa.hitachi.com
Posted:10/26/1999; 1:49:07 PM
Topic:TV & the First Amendment
Msg #:12380 (In response to 12369)
Prev/Next:12379 / 12381

"Third Voice is every bit as much an inturruption to a webmaster free speech rights as somebody jumping into the middle of Martin Luther King's speech, grabbing the microphone for a moment, and disagreeing with his grammar on a certain point"

Or rather, it's like playing a record of MLK's speech, in an auditorium with a sign that says "Come hear Martin Luther King speak!", and then broadcasting comments to drown out the speech. How's that for a metaphor? Note that this may not be legal--due to the appropriation of MLK's intellectual property. But not on free speech grounds.

Where is the line between No interruptions and No commentary? Comedy Central broadcast the Democratic and Republican nominating conventions live with humorous commentary. I assume the conventions could have pulled the plug--Should they be able to? Should they be able to pull the plug on "respectable" broadcasters doing the same thing? Should Dave be allowed to watch baseball with the sound off and let his friends do the commentary? In his own living room? Over the internet?

Honestly, I don't know the answers to the tough ones. I think Third Voice is a tough one. But fascinating.

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