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Jaxon Owens, 17, right, editor-in-chief of the Viking Vanguard student newspaper at Puyallup High School, speaks during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

By Alexis Myers

The Associated Press

OLYMPIA Amid a national push, Washington state lawmakers are reintroducing a bill that would protect student journalists free speech in school-sponsored media at public schools and colleges.

Washington could become one of about a dozen states that have passed similar legislation in response to a 1988 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that gave administrators control over what gets published in school media.

Senate Bill 5064, introduced by Republican Sen. Joe Fain, would designate school media as public forums for expression and make students responsible for determining content so long as it is not slanderous or libelous, unjustly invades privacy, violates federal or state law or encourages students to break school rules or commit crimes.

Its about expanding the culture of freedom of speech and freedom of the press so that more students have an appreciation of that early on, Fain said. Beyond that, we need watchdogs.

Under the measure, student media advisers also could not be terminated, transferred or otherwise disciplined for refusing to censor student journalists.

I want to bring more attention to why it is important to go into journalism, and why its important to do that job really well, Fain said. And the best way you can do that job well is when you are trained to do that job and to shoulder the responsibility of doing it well from the get-go.

Fain, alongside other state lawmakers, listened to public testimony for the bill last Thursday.

Jaxon Owens, a 17-year-old senior at Puyallup High School, testified in support in front of the Early Learning &K-12 Education Committee.

Owens, the editor-in-chief of the Viking Vanguard student newspaper, told The Associated Press his principal reviews almost every issue before it gets published.

He just kind of flips through it to make sure that everything is OK, he said. We do an intense vetting process in everything we do no matter if its print, web or social media.

Owens said if the bill passes, I really doubt we will abuse it. But we will continue to strive and grow as journalists and grow to our full potential as writers and as young, competent men and women.

Jerry Bender of the Association of Washington School Principals opposed the bill, but only for high school students. He said it is a student safety issue.

Bender, who served as a principal for 10 years at Centralia High School, said he believes college students have mastered the craft well enough that they dont need as much supervision, but a high school publication should be reviewed.

If I am going to be there when the plane crashes, Id like to be there when it takes off, he said.

In an interview with AP, Bender mentioned a case where the plane crashed hard.

He said students at Emerald Ridge High School in 2008 were crucified by their peers and school when the newspaper included the names and sexual histories of students in its edition about oral sex.

The affected students sued the Puyallup School District, but a Pierce County jury ruled the First Amendment protected the student newspaper.

The measure being considered by Washington lawmakers specifies that school officials would be protected from civil or criminal liability stemming from content in school-sponsored media.

Mike Hiestand, an attorney for the Student Press Law Center, said if schools are concerned about liability issues with this bill, they should get rid of their football teams and cheerleaders, which generally result in the most lawsuits filed against institutions.

Student-journalist free speech legislation has been expanding throughout the country. In 2007, following Washington states initial bill proposal, Oregon unanimously passed a similar student expression law prohibiting administrative censorship of journalism. Other bills have been filed in Vermont, Missouri and Indiana. Ten states in the U.S. currently have student speech protection laws.

State Sen. Joe Fain, R-Auburn, right, listens to testimony during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

High school student journalists and other supporters sit in the front row of a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

Jaxon Owens, 17, left, editor-in-chief of the Viking Vanguard student newspaper at Puyallup High School, walks to speak during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

Mike Hiestand, a staff attorney with the Student Press Law Center, holds a copy of his book, Law of the Student Press, as he speaks during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

Jerry Bender, of the Association of Washington School Principals, speaks during a Senate hearing at the Capitol on Thursday in Olympia. (Ted S. Warren/The Associated Press)

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Bill would give students control of school-sponsored media - Peninsula Daily News

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News outlets are reporting the Trump administration is preventing federal agencies from using social media or talking with the press.

Media stories have popped up warning of gag orders at the Environmental Protection Agency,Department of Agricultureand Department of Commerce. It sounds alarming, but this sort of thing is far from unprecedented.

Federal officials were ordered not to talk with the media due during the Obama administration increased scrutiny surrounding the implementation of the stimulus package.

The group Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER) released an email from a top U.S. Forest Service public affairs staffer stating due to the increased scrutiny surrounding ARRA [the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act] work and partly due to a relatively new administration, we remain under strict instructions for talking with the media.

The gag order came after Congress passed the stimulus package, or ARRA, in 2009 with the hopes of boosting the economy. But right off the bat, reporters began questioning how the $840 billion stimulus package was being spent.

If you receive media calls that fall under the following categories you cannot talk to the reporter, but should instead get their contact info and get in touch with me:, Kate Goodrich-Arling, the public affairs officer at the Monongahela National Forest, wrote in a January 2020 email to staff.

PEER said the administrations message control mentality stood in stark contrast to President Barack Obamas promise to run the most transparent administration in history. In fact, Obama signed a 2009 executive order asserting his ability to supervise, control, and correct employees communications with the Congress.

PEER mentioned another instancewhere the Obama administration had federal officials under a gag order.

Recent action by EPA to censor what its own employees could say in a private YouTube video about weaknesses in cap-and-trade systems for controlling greenhouse gas emissions, PEER wrote.

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FLASHBACK: Obama Enforced 'Gag Order' After Passing The Stimulus Package - Daily Caller

Apples AirPods have only been available for a little over a month and still have 6 week shipping times, but its possible we could see a second generation sooner rather than later if Apple launches updatedAirPods annually and alongside theiPhone 8. Lets take a look at some of the potential upgrades we might see this year.

There are many details that Apple nailed with AirPods. At the top of the list issmooth, fast, and consistentpairing with the W1 chip, the slick and compact charging case, and decent sound and battery life for such lightweight earbuds (check out our AirPods vs. the competition review here).

Zac recently noted the great experience of flying with AirPods, preferring them in many ways over his wirelessBose QC35s. However, even if AirPods are the best cord-free earbuds on the market for now, theres always room for improvement. Whats next for AirPods?:

The most likely improvement we may see with the next AirPods is improved Siri capabilities. With growing rumors of an enhancedSiri alongside the iPhone 8 launch, and many reports of a Siri-enabled speaker coming this year, its not much of a stretchto imagine AirPods could benefit as well. Specifically, most users and reviewers seem to agree AirPods desperately need an offline mode

Beyond improving accuracy, comprehension, speed, and third-party app integration, Apple could improve Siri and the AirPods user experience greatly with offline functionality, a la the retired Voice Control feature. The idea that Siri is the only option for volume and media control (more on that below) and that it currently needs an internet connection is less than ideal to put it lightly. Greg coveredthis indetail recentlyand 90% of readers agreed with the need for offline Siri support, if only for AirPods.

Voice Control, Siris iOS predecessor, could handle offline requests with no issue. In regards to music, Voice Control could play, pause, skip, return, and even play specific playlists all without any internet connection. I had to speak audibly and clearly, but it worked just as well as Siri does for me today. Why these offline functions werent built into Siri since day one still baffles me. Using Voice Controls original commands in combination with Siri, as either the first or even fallback option would help tremendously.

In a recent poll asking what features readers want most for the next AirPods, the largest portion of pollsters responded with physical button/media controls. This goes hand-in-hand with Siri improvements mentioned above, as most just want expanded media controls in general. Whether that will be physical buttons like some competitors (unlikely if you ask us), new gestures that go beyond the current option for initiating Siri or optionally pausing playback, or an advanced Siri only, remains to be seen. Cord-free competitors like Bragi and Samsung both have already implemented much more robust touch gestures on their products

Bragis The Headphone includes three physical buttons with multiple functions for controlling volume, previous and next tracks, play/pause music and answering and ending calls.Although possible, its hard for us to see Apple introducingphysical buttons to the clean and minimal AirPods design.

A more likely approach may beimproving controls by expanding the AirPods tap feature with new software. Apple could benefit from taking note of Samsungs tap functionality on the Gear IconX earbuds.This is familiar territory for Apple of course with it steadily introducingnew touch gestures over the yearfor itstrackpads and iOS devices. And like Siri improvements, its possible these updates could find their way onto current and new AirPods.

Photo via Samsung

Even though AirPods are priced right alongside the competition at $159, a lower price for the next release may help Apple convince more customers to upgradeto the cord-free earphones. In our poll asking why readers had decided to pass on AirPods for now, too expensive was the number one reason.Although unlikely, if Apple priced AirPods at $99 for the next release I think they could convince a sizably larger audience to invest in the upgrade. But Apple has some time before that will be necessary.At $159, AirPods are currently priced competitively with the alternatives that cant really compete in performance just yet.

AirPods are one of the few (maybe only?)fully wirelessearphones on the market that arent an in-ear fit. While most of the competitors ship with multiple sized ear tips and/or wing tips, AirPods are a one size fits most design.

While roughly 65% of readers shared that AirPods stay in their ears, theres a potentially large chunk of users who may need a third-party product to keep them in place for now. Ive looked at a few options and have been usingthe $10EarBuddyzduring workouts to keep them snug. While third-party options get the job done, Apple could come up with a better solution to give a solid fit for a range of ear sizes and also make sure the design works seamlessly with the charging case. A matte rubber outer can greatly increase the ability for the earbud to grip the users ear, and thats something Apple could do without otherwise charging the shape or design of AirPods.

Just like Apples Beats has offered color options to match iPhone and iPad (and MacBook) styles, it would be nice to have at least two options for AirPods to fit varying tastes.A few days after Apples 2016 September announcement, designer Martin Hajek gave us a good idea of what glossy black AirPods would look likeand asked the question So why did this not happen?

For the last several years Apple has been providing more and more choices to match personal style and tastes. This is seenwith the Apple Watch and the variety of band options, the iPhone 7/7 Plus with more color choices than ever before and regular (and somewhat seasonal) color palette updates to their accessories. Considering of all this, new color choices for the next AirPods could be likely.

Samsungs Gear IconX and Bragis Dash earphones two of the more popular cord-free competitors to AirPods both include 4GB of on-board storage for music as well as biometric sensors for tracking heart rate, steps, and other activity data. Its difficult to know whether Apple will include either of these features in future AirPods or if they will reserve them for the Apple Watch and iPhone.

Wetend to think the health and storage features crammed into other productsusually dont make for a great experience,and that Apple will pursue other improvements. Other reasons Apple may not pursuestorage options and fitness features in new AirPods may include potential sacrifices tothe slim form factor, weight, battery life, and price point.

If Apple shipsthe next generation of AirPods with a good portion of these features and improvements, it seems they could establish dominance in the cord-free earphone market for years to come. If there are there other features youd like to see in future AirPods that we didnt cover, please share in the comments below!

Photo via Martin Hajek

See the article here:
What's next for AirPods? How Apple could make the best cord-free earbuds even better - 9 to 5 Mac

Jan. 24, 2017, 12:40 p.m.

The Trump administration has instituted a media blackout at the Environmental Protection Agency and barred staff from awarding any new contracts or grants.

Emails sent to EPA staff since President Trump's inauguration on Friday and reviewed by the Associated Press detailed the specific prohibitions banning news releases, blog updates or posts to the agency's social media accounts.

The Trump administration has also ordered a "temporary suspension" of all new business activities at the department, including issuing task orders or work assignments to EPA contractors. The orders are expected to have a significant and immediate impact on EPA activities nationwide.

Similar orders barring external communications have been issued by the Trump administration at other federal agencies in recent days, including the Agriculture and Interior departments.

Staffers in EPA's public affairs office are instructed to forward all inquiries from reporters to the Office of Administration and Resources Management.

"Incoming media requests will be carefully screened," one directive said. "Only send out critical messages, as messages can be shared broadly and end up in the press."

A review of EPA websites and social media accounts, which typically include numerous new posts each day, showed no new activity since Friday.

White House spokesman Sean Spicer said Tuesday he had no information on the blackout. He said aides were looking into the circumstances.

UPDATE

12:40 p.m: This post was updated with more detail on the order and comment from White House spokesman Sean Spicer.

This post was originally published at 10:06 a.m.

Read more from the original source:
Trump administration orders media blackout at EPA - Los Angeles Times

The Thai Journalists Association late last month issued a year-end summary of its work, in which it called 2016 "the year of government interference". That sad title was certainly earned. The TJA, however, may have spoken just a little early. The junta-appointed National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) is considering a measure to strip independence from the media and hand intimidation and a strong dose of press control to the government. It would make a mockery of the constitution's guarantee of freedom of the press.

The TJA has called a meeting for Sunday to discuss the NRSA's proposal. In fact, "proposal" is an understatement. As of today, it seems the reform assembly is determined to strip some freedom from the media. ACM Kanit Suwannate, who heads the media reform steering committee of the junta's group, has indicated he is willing to discuss the draft law with media people. But he has not said he is willing to scrap it.

ACM Kanit and colleagues of the NRSA have given their proposed legislation a rather deceptive description. They say it will enhance the protection of rights, promote ethical standards in the media and ensure the press is staffed with, and run by, professionals.

No one could argue with the goals. However, reasonable people should oppose the means which the military regime's "reformers" intend to use.

The bottom line, free of jargon and Orwellian language, is the NRSA intends to put the government in charge of the Thai press. The permanent secretaries of four ministries would sit on a new "national media council" to order and guide media reform. As the TJA president Wanchai Wongmeechai put it, "This is not media reform but an attempt to control the media."

The details of the proposed government control are even more chilling to anyone who favours an independent media. The worst section of the bill says that while only media professionals can run press outlets, every media professional must be licensed by the government.

This is a huge step backwards and is even worse than the hated Article 42 of past dictators, a law permitting the shutdown of any newspaper that displeased them. With democratic advances after the 1973 revolution, Article 42 went rightfully into history.

ACM Kanit has listened to the TJA and other press groups opposed to his measure and has received a counter-proposal from the journalists. He has waved them off without comment. Right now, on the eve of the NRSA taking up the press-control bill for a vote, his position appears to be one of no compromise.

This is disappointing. A free country requires a free press. One requires the other. Putting the government in effective control of press reform is the equivalent of having wolves watch the sheep. It may not be completely certain that the wolves will start eating the flock, but it is a sure thing they will never stop intimidating them.

Government presence on a press panel and licensing of journalists are never part of a free press. The media and the public it serves are capable of continuing to reform the press, which has never stopped.

New media, changing public perception and an ever-evolving society ensure that press reform will continue, and government control can in no way make it better.

ACM Kanit, his steering committee and all NRSA members can no doubt contribute to the evolution of the Thai media. Establishing and then putting a heavy hand on a new press council, however, will set back both the media and reform.

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Reform yes, control no - Bangkok Post