Tully Center for Free Speech to host seminar series Oct. 2 with special guest Bob Costas ’74

Tuesday, September 22, 2009, By Wendy S. Loughlin

The in SU’s will host three seminars on free speech issues on Friday, Oct. 2 at the Newhouse School. The event is free and open to the public. Parking is available in SU pay lots.

The first session, a panel discussion titled, “When Rights Collide: Sports Coverage vs. Branding,” will be held from 12:45- 2 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3. David Rubin, professor of communication in the Newhouse School, will serve as moderator. Panelists include Bob Costas ’74, sportscaster with NBC; John Keib, president of residential services for the Northeast/national region of Time Warner Cable; and Mickey Osterreicher, general counsel with the National Press Photographers Association. They will discuss the increasing restrictions placed on journalists, videographers and photographers covering sports as networks, pro teams and universities seek to protect their brands and contract for exclusive rights. Free speech rights of sports journalists compared to the contract and property rights of networks, teams and universities will be explored.

The second session, “Who’s Censoring the Net?,” will be held from 2:15-3:30 p.m. in the Halmi Screening Room, 141 Newhouse 3. Milton Mueller, professor with SU’s , will serve as moderator. Nart Villeneuve, researcher with the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab, and Stephen Cohen, chief of staff for the New York State attorney general, will discuss the ever-changing world of Internet censorship, including recent efforts by China, Iran and other governments to censor content and how U.S. Internet service providers are blocking some content deemed harmful.

The third session, “Is That Ad Legal?,” will take place from 2:15- 3:30 p.m. in the Joyce Hergenhan Auditorium in Newhouse 3. Lesley Fair, attorney with the Federal Trade Commission, will offer a primer on how advertising managers and designers can avoid sanctions for unfair and deceptive advertising.

Endowed by the late Joan Tully ’69, the Tully Center educates students and the public about the important value of free speech through education, resources and research.

For more information, contact Barbara Fought at (315) 443-4054 or bcfought@syr.edu.