§ 4-75-503 - Furnishing or transmitting news. - Arkansas Statutes

4-75-503. Furnishing or transmitting news.

(a) (1) (A) All corporations, companies, individuals, associations, or persons associated for the purpose of furnishing news for publication in newspapers and engaged in furnishing news for publication shall furnish the service to all newspapers, persons, companies, or corporations authorized to do business under the laws of this state at uniform rates and without discrimination.

(B) The service shall be given in the same manner and at the same cost to all.

(2) No increase in the rate charged for such news service shall apply in this state unless the increased rates shall be made in conformity with the uniform increased rates made for all other points wherever the news service may be furnished by the persons, companies, corporations, associations, or companies associated.

(b) (1) Any person, association, company, or corporation associated violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a violation and fined in any sum not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(2) Each day's violation shall constitute a separate offense and shall be punished as such.

(c) (1) Any telegraph company or telephone company transmitting or permitting to be transmitted over its lines, by lease or otherwise, or which shall receive for transmission over any of its lines from any persons, companies, corporations, associations, or persons associated, any news item, the transmission of which is prohibited by this section, shall be guilty of a violation and punished by a fine of not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

(2) The Attorney General or any prosecuting attorney of the state is empowered, authorized, and directed to bring suit in the name of the State of Arkansas for the recovery of the penalty prescribed by subdivision (c)(1) of this section.

(d) Any person, company, corporation, or any association of persons against whom a discrimination shall be made in the rate charged or of services rendered by any association, company, corporation, or persons associated in the furnishing of news service or to whom such news service is refused shall be entitled to recover damages in any sum not less than one thousand dollars ($1,000) per day for each day of the discrimination or refusal.