The Penn Stater Magazine

A Penn State Expert On Jon & Kate

June 25, 2009 at 11:35 am Ryan Jones Leave a comment

I’ve never watched Jon & Kate Plus 8, and I’m not someone who has much interest in reality TV. But I guess it’s a sign of the times that when such a couple decides to divorce, national media call on legitimate legal scholars for their opinions. In that, at least, Penn State can offer a voice of reason: Robert Richards, distinguished professor of journalism and law in the College of Communications and founding co-director of the Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment at University Park.

As this Jon & Kate thing is apparently pretty huge news, USA Today asked Richards for his take on the couple’s divorce filings being kept private in Montgomery County, Pa. Richards argues that the records should be kept open, since it’s the dissolution of a marriage through the public courts. That case is countered by privacy advocates who say that the family’s business should be kept just that. Whether the fact that this particular family agreed to do a reality show on national TV has any effect on that privacy argument, I have no idea.

Ryan Jones, senior editor

Entry filed under: College of Communications, University Park campus. Tags: Jon and Kate Gosselin, Pennsylvania Center for the First Amendment, Robert Richards, USA Today.