Houchins v. KQED Inc. (1977)
- Docket
- 76-1310
- Decided
- 1977-01-01
Summary
Question: Did the First Amendment guarantee news media a right of access to jails over and above that of other persons? Conclusion: No. In an opinion written by Chief Justice Burger, the Court held that the First Amendment granted no special right of access to the press to government-controlled sources of information. The Court reasoned that the importance of acceptable prison conditions and the media's role of providing information afforded "no basis for reading into the Constitution a right of the public or the media to enter these institutions. . .and take moving and still pictures of inmates for broadcast purposes."