In short, the press can print what they wish.
xzins
You're right on such a small technical level that for all practical purposes, you're wrong. First, you're right the New York Times can print what they want. They can print slander, lies, whatever - no one can stop them from printing what they please. But, and this is a big one, they can be sued. Taken to court. Jailed.
They can print what they want but they must take responsibility for what they print. Do you think the New York Times can print copywrited material they haven't paid for? Yes, they can. Can they be sued for it. Yes, they can. Here's what you can't do with a newspaper, you can't put a government censor in the newsroom to see what's being published. You can't censor ahead of time.
Thank God for that - Thank God there are no censors in the newsrooms -- and thank the writers of the constitution and freedom loving members of the Supreme Court while you're at it.
But not having censors in the newsroom doesn't mean that anything goes, or that anything can be printed without consequences. Sometimes the consequence is someone gets sued. Sometimes a consequence is someone goes to jail. In this case, it's possible the New York Times committed treason. If so, they can be arrested tried, and jailed. They are not above the law because they own a printing press.
Since you posted in response to my #145, I assume you know that I think the NYT is housed with traitors and that their publishing wartime secrets is treasonous.
However, the 1st amendment seems pretty air tight to me. I'm open to correction.
However, I do not think they are immune from laws that require every American to divulge their sources on classified leaks. That is not a law by Congress "abridging freedom of the press." Like I said, they can still print whatever they wish.