<P> State governments retain the right to tax newspapers, just as they may tax other commercial products . Generally, however, taxes that focus exclusively on newspapers have been found unconstitutional . In Grosjean v. American Press Co. (1936), the Court invalidated a state tax on newspaper advertising revenues, holding that the role of the press in creating "informed public opinion" was vital . Similarly, some taxes that give preferential treatment to the press have been struck down . In Arkansas Writers' Project v. Ragland (1987), for instance, the Court invalidated an Arkansas law exempting "religious, professional, trade and sports journals" from taxation since the law amounted to the regulation of newspaper content . In Leathers v. Medlock (1991), the Supreme Court found that states may treat different types of the media differently, such as by taxing cable television, but not newspapers . The Court found that "differential taxation of speakers, even members of the press, does not implicate the First Amendment unless the tax is directed at, or presents the danger of suppressing, particular ideas ." </P> <P> In Branzburg v. Hayes (1972), the Court ruled that the First Amendment did not give a journalist the right to refuse a subpoena from a grand jury . The issue decided in the case was whether a journalist could refuse to "appear and testify before state and Federal grand juries" basing the refusal on the belief that such appearance and testimony "abridges the freedom of speech and press guaranteed by the First Amendment". The 5--4 decision was that such a protection was not provided by the First Amendment . However, a concurring opinion by Justice Lewis F. Powell, in which he stated that a claim for press privilege "should be judged on its facts by the striking of a proper balance between freedom of the press and the obligation of all citizens to give relevant testimony with respect to criminal conduct . The balance of these vital constitutional and societal interests on a case - by - case basis accords with the tried and traditional way of adjudicating such questions .", has been frequently cited by lower courts since the decision . </P> <P> The Petition Clause protects the right "to petition the government for a redress of grievances". This includes the right to communicate with government officials, lobbying government officials and petitioning the courts by filing lawsuits with a legal basis . The Petition Clause first came to prominence in the 1830s, when Congress established the gag rule barring anti-slavery petitions from being heard; the rule was overturned by Congress several years later . Petitions against the Espionage Act of 1917 resulted in imprisonments . The Supreme Court did not rule on either issue . </P> <P> In California Motor Transport Co. v. Trucking Unlimited, 404 U.S. 508 (1972), the Supreme Court stated that the right to petition encompass "the approach of citizens or groups of them to administrative agencies (which are both creatures of the legislature, and arms of the executive) and to courts, the third branch of Government . Certainly the right to petition extends to all departments of the Government . The right of access to the courts is indeed but one aspect of the right of petition ." Today thus this right encompasses petitions to all three branches of the federal government--the Congress, the executive and the judiciary--and has been extended to the states through incorporation . According to the Supreme Court, "redress of grievances" is to be construed broadly: it includes not solely appeals by the public to the government for the redressing of a grievance in the traditional sense, but also, petitions on behalf of private interests seeking personal gain . The right not only protects demands for "a redress of grievances" but also demands for government action . The petition clause includes according to the Supreme Court the opportunity to institute non-frivolous lawsuits and mobilize popular support to change existing laws in a peaceful manner . </P>

What are all the rights protected by the first amendment