Campus newspaper loses bid for high court review of ad rules
By freedomforum.org,
The Associated Press
01.25.01
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The Supreme Court last week rejected a student newspaper's challenge
to a Pennsylvania law that bans beer, liquor and bar ads in campus
publications.
Without comment, the justices refused to hear an appeal by
The Pitt
News at the University of Pittsburgh, which claimed the 1996
law violated its First Amendment rights.
Under the law, publications related to educational institutions
— including newspapers, yearbooks and sports programs — cannot run
advertisements that list the prices of, or otherwise promote, alcoholic drinks.
The same sanctions apply to college radio and television stations.
The law does allow ads that give the names and addresses of bars,
clubs and restaurants that serve alcohol.
Those who place the proscribed ads are subject to fines from $100 to
$500 or up to three months in jail for a first offense.
The state Liquor Control Board says the law is a way to fight underage
drinking.
But the newspaper argued that the law singles out a class of
newspapers and is therefore in violation of constitutional guarantees of free
speech. The paper also said the law cuts off a source of revenue, effectively
restricting the amount of news it can publish and threatening its ability to
purchase new equipment and make renovations to its facilities.
The paper lost its case in federal court in Pittsburgh and on appeal
before the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
The American Civil Liberties Union had argued on behalf of the
newspaper.
Update
College paper skirts alcohol-ad ban by reporting drink specials
Decision by The Pitt News to run list comes in wake of federal judge's ruling that state law doesn't infringe on freedom of expression.
02.21.03
Previous
Federal appeals panel rejects college newspaper's challenge of ad rules
Court finds economic effect of Pennsylvania alcohol ad ban doesn't violate The Pitt News' constitutional rights.
06.08.00
Federal judge dismisses campus newspaper's case against alcohol ad rules
Court finds the Pitt News lacks standing to challenge Pennsylvania law, since ban is against liquor businesses, not paper itself.
07.06.99
Federal judge hears campus paper's case for overturning ban on alcohol ads
Attorneys for The Pitt News argue that Pennsylvania law effectively curtails how much news the paper can publish.
04.29.99
Campus newspaper challenges ban on alcohol ads
University of Pennsylvania students sue the state, claiming law infringes on their right to free speech.
04.07.99
State's college newspapers rankled by liquor-ad restrictions
Pennsylvania bar owners who run alcoholic-beverage brands and prices in school publications could be fined or lose their licenses.
02.16.98
