Press Control/Restraints

A timeline on the history of Press Control/Restraints

0960-01-01 00:50:43

Sung emperors began to censor

Sung emperors began to censor and suppress non-governmental newssheets before the demise of their dynasty in 1279

1467-01-01 00:50:43

Bestowing and denying printers

Bestowing and denying printers privileges became a major form of government control of the press in England

1502-01-01 00:50:43

printed works require license in spain

Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain required all printed works to be licensed, which means approved in advance by government or church authorities

1502-01-01 00:50:43

Burning offensive books in spain

Another form of press restriction in Spain was burning offensive books by the Inquisition

1521-01-01 00:50:43

Edict of Worms requires submission of written work

Edict of Worms in Germany includes requirement that printers submit to prior censorship

1538-01-01 00:50:43

Printed works must be licensed in England

All printed works in England must be licensed after this date

1561-10-01 00:37:37

Penalties in France for those who circulate defamatory or seditious broadsides or pamphlets

In France, flogging becomes the first-time penalty for those who circulate defamatory or seditious broadsides or pamphlets. Repeat offenders are subject to the death penalty; press remains tightly controlled in France until French Revolution in 1789

1644-01-01 00:00:00

Areopagitica

John Milton publishes Areopagitica, a pamphlet defending press freedom during the English Civil War

1655-01-01 00:00:00

Oliver Cromwell restores press controls in England

1679-01-01 00:00:00

Licensing Act restricts press lapses in England

1690-01-01 00:00:00

America's First newspaper closed down

Governor and council of colony of Massachusetts close America’s first newspaper down after its first issue

1695-01-01 00:00:00

Licensing Act ends permanently after the “Glorious Revolution;

Licensing Act ends permanently after the “Glorious Revolution;” becomes more difficult for authorities to control content of newspapers

1712-01-01 00:00:00

Stamp tax imposed on newspapers in England

1735-01-01 00:00:00

ublisher of the New-York Weekly Journal found innocent (triumph for press freedom)

Jury finds John Peter Zenger, the publisher of the New-York Weekly Journal, innocent of seditious libel (triumph for press freedom)

1765-01-01 00:00:00

American press rises in protest against Stamp Act

1767-01-01 00:00:00

Townshend Acts

British Parliament institutes series of taxes (Townshend Acts) on goods imported into America, including paper

1768-01-01 00:00:00

More than 100 people imprisoned for circulating illegal pamphlets in France

1788-01-01 00:00:00

Because of strict press controls, Paris has only four newspapers

1798-01-04 00:00:00

President John Adams signs Sedition Act

President John Adams signs Sedition Act, which makes it a crime to write, print, utter or publish attacks against U.S. government

1830-01-01 00:00:00

laws limiting power of judges to hold reporter to contempt of court

States passing laws limiting the power of judges to hold reporters to contempt of court

1830-01-03 00:00:00

stamp taxes in england hold down leagal newspapers

Circulations of legal newspapers in England continue to be held down by the stamp tax on each copy

1917-01-03 00:00:00

Pres. Wilson and WWI leads to propaganda in the press and higher censorship

President Woodrow Wilson leads United States into World War I and hires press agent to support effort; George Creel also serves on censorship board

1917-01-03 00:00:00

Espionage Act leads to revocation of mailing privileges of many non-mainstream sources

Under the Espionage Act, U.S. government revokes the mailing privileges of many non-mainstream (socialist) newspapers

1922-01-05 00:00:00

Radio stations skyrocket in U.S. ; toll implaced

Number of U.S. radio stations skyrockets to 576; “toll” is charged for use of airtime on stations

1927-01-15 00:00:00

Radio Act establishes a Federal Radio Commission to assign radio frequencies and grant licenses;

Radio Act establishes a Federal Radio Commission to assign radio frequencies and grant licenses; replaced by Federal Communications Commission in 1934

1931-01-02 00:00:00

Near v. Minnesota

U.S. Supreme Court rules in Near v. Minnesota that prior restraint of the press is allowed under only the most unusual of circumstances

1941-01-02 00:00:00

TV broadcasting begins in U.S.

1983-01-16 00:00:00

Group of Journalists go to island owner and protest to preserve

Reporters blocked from covering initial stages of U.S. invasion of Caribbean island of Grenada; group of journalists that managed to land on the island were prevented by U.S. military officials from reporting what was happening for two days

1988-08-12 03:58:24

Hazelwood School District v. Kuhlmeier

do school newspapers have first amendment rights? It was decided that public schools can censor school newspapers because they are essentially a school lesson and not a forum for individual expression.

1991-01-10 00:00:00

Cohen v. Cowles Media Co.

Supreme Court of the United States held that freedom of the press does not exempt journalists from generally applicable laws.

2010-04-19 00:51:28

Google Blocked in 25 Countries

Google has revealed a worrying global trend of internet censorship by admitting that many of its products, such as search, Docs, Blogger and YouTube, are blocked in 25 of the 100 countries where it operates.

2010-07-01 00:51:28

Bill Introduced To Pressure Countries That Seek To Break The Internet

Representative Zoe Lofgren (D-San Jose), along with Reps. George Miller (D-CA), Bart Gordon (D-TN), Richard Neal (D-MA), Xavier Becerra (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Goodlatte (R-VA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Michael

2013-01-03 00:00:00

YouTube created

Let people be the press. He led the motion (after myspace and facebook of course) and give way to social media as press and allowed anyone to be the maker of