Candidate asks judge to force newspaper to cover campaign

By The Associated Press

10.13.02

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LINCOLN, Neb. — The Nebraska Party gubernatorial candidate, Paul Rosberg, has filed a lawsuit asking a judge to order the state's largest newspaper to give him more press coverage.

Rosberg, a Wausa farmer, filed the lawsuit Oct. 9 against the Omaha World-Herald in Knox County District Court in Center. He asked that the newspaper be required to give him "an equal amount of newspaper space, print as many pictures as many times, in color on the same pages, therefore giving him equal coverage" as that of Republican Gov. Mike Johanns and Democratic nominee Stormy Dean.

Larry King, the World-Herald's executive editor, said he hadn't seen the lawsuit and couldn't immediately comment.

A media law professor said the lawsuit was "baloney."

"The U.S. Supreme Court has said that candidates do not have the right of access to newspapers," said John Bender, who teaches at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Journalism and Mass Communications.

"The Court said it's the editors who get to edit the newspapers. Not the courts. Not the candidates. The lifespan of this lawsuit will be mercifully short," Bender said.

Rosberg formed the Nebraska Party last year after collecting the required 7,600 signatures from the state's three congressional districts. About 285 people are registered with the party, according to the secretary of state's office.