Badillo Attacks Social Beliefs; Loeb Applauds Supreme Court

William Loeb, publisher of the Manchester, N.H. Union Leader, said last night he thinks "it is baloney--utter nonsense" that recent Supreme Court decisions impinge on the freedom of the press.

He told a Law School Forum audience he supports the Court's ruling last month that a reporter must reveal his state of mind when writing an article that is later challenged in a libel case.

Modesty

The uproar in the press that followed the decision was not based on a fear of increasing erosion of First Amendment freedoms, but on the "egotism and arrogance" of journalists, Loeb said.

"Many newspapers feel like special people, not subject to the controls the rest of us are living under," he added.

Loeb also said he is alarmed at the trend toward concentration of ownership of media. He predicted that ten large conglomerates will soon control 90 per cent of all print media.

"The nature of these conglomerates is to be concerned only with the bottom line," he added.

Loeb said he is certain Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass.) will be the Democratic nominee in the 1980 presidential election. "He will be very, very hard to beat," he added.

However, Loeb said he believes Ronald Reagan has the most integrity of any potential presidential candidate. "Above all, he can go on television, tell his story and convince people of what has to be done," he added.

Jugular

Loeb called Reagan a poor campaigner because he is "so damn nice he won't go for the throat like other candidates."

Several members of the audience said Loeb's newspaper is not objective in its presentation of the news. Loeb said the Union Leader prints roughly the same number of articles about candidates it supports and those it does not support.

Loeb, who attended Harvard Law School for two years, said he does not consider himself famous or important. "I do not take myself seriously," he said