 |
New online map tracks censorship battles
Project at Kent State aggregates reports on threats to student press across the country
September 14, 2007
OHIO — A doctoral candidate at Kent State University has
created an online, interactive map chronicling incidents involving student press
censorship.
Audrey Wagstaff, who also is a graduate assistant and
researcher at the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Kent State,
compiled recent cases involving student press censorship or prior review,
organizing it into an interactive format using Google’s map service. The
map also displays landmarks where important Supreme Court cases involving
scholastic media or student expression arose.
Users can browse a map of
the United States marked with color-coded pushpins representing the location of
individual cases and high schools and colleges. Clicking on a pin brings up
information on each incident, including the publication’s name, the issue
at hand and a brief summary. The box also includes links to relevant news
articles.
“It’s visual, it’s interactive. It’s
not just reading text,” Wagstaff said. “Our main audience is high
school and college advisers. I think it’s a good tool for high school
advisers to become aware, especially those that don’t realize that prior
review is an issue.”
Ron Spielberger, executive director of
College Media Advisers, said the tool will give advisers a quick summary of the
national picture. Spielberger said he was not aware of a similar effort to
organize information on college and high school censorship in this
fashion.
Wagstaff said although Google Maps has been sufficient so far, she
is working with online developers at Kent State to develop a system with a more
attractive design, and additional features such as the ability to sort events by
subject or date.
Wagstaff said she will continue to update the map as
new cases crop up.
Funding for the project came through the John S. and
James L. Knight Foundation, Wagstaff said.
Wagstaff credits Wendy
Wallace, director of the high school journalism program at the Poynter
Institute, a St. Petersburg, Fla.-based journalism education group, for the
project’s initial concept. Wallace contacted faculty at Kent State, who
then relayed the idea to Wagstaff.
Wallace said she was excited about
the direction the project was taking and felt it would benefit anyone involved
in the student press.
“I would like to first see teachers and
student editors in helping populate the map, so we get a good picture of where
censorship and prior review is happening,” Wallace said.
Wallace
said that as the map becomes more detailed, it will not only serve as an aid to
students and faculty, but also offer a valuable insight into the health of the
student press.
“I think it will be a powerful visual
representation of the state of scholastic media,” Wallace said.
By Casey Wooten, SPLC staff writer
© 2007 Student Press Law Center
Share
For More Information:
< Return to Previous Page