This course is for students interested in pursuing media-related careers or interested in learning how society and media interact. While the textbook emphasizes legal topics, the class will also focus on ethical issues, especially as these are exemplified by current events. Students will use various methods, including case studies, to develop an understanding of the principles and practices underlying choices they or others should make relative to ethical or legal dilemmas.
Members of the class are expected to participate in class discussions, to make use of various technological means to continue discussions outside of class (e-mail and web-based conferencing) and to keep themselves informed of relevant problems and issues as they arise in the media’s coverage of current events.
Objectives:
| 1. | To apprise students about the origins and historical development of media law and ethical media practices. |
| 2. | To examine the social, cultural and ethical dimensions of the media in American society. |
| 3. | To prepare students for problems and controversies they will face as media specialists. |
| 4. | To develop professional judgments about best practices in dealing with ethical or legal problems. |
Textbook:
Mass Media Law
Don R. Pember
Dubuque, Iowa: Brown & Benchmark, 1997
| Quizzes/Projects | 20% | |
| Midterm | 25% | |
| Final | 25% | |
| Paper | 20% | |
| Class Participation | 10% |
Topics for the Paper:
Students must choose one of the following topics and a corresponding event in current events and write a credible paper applying the problems and issues of the topic to a fuller understanding of the event and its ethical and legal implications.
Professional Codes of Ethics for Media
Free Speech and the First Amendment
Privacy Issues and Celebrity
Privacy and the Internet
Privacy and the White House
Plagiarism and Academic Honesty
Copyright and Fair Use
Access to Public Records
| September 4 | Introduction | |
| The American Legal System | Chapter 1 | |
| September 11 | The First Amendment | Chapters 2 and 3 |
| September 18 | Libel | Chapters 4 and 5 |
| September 25 | Libel | Chapters 5 and 6 |
| October 2 | Quiz | |
| The Search for Ethical Principles | ||
| October 9 | Invasion of Privacy | Chapters 7 and 8 |
| October 16 | Midterm Exam | |
| October 23 | Gathering Information | Chapter 9 |
| October 30 | Free Press/Fair Trial | Chapters 12 and 13 |
| November 6 | Quiz | |
| Rule and Regulation in America | ||
| November 13 | Copyright | Chapter 15 |
| November 20 | Telecommunications | Chapter 17 and 18 |
| November 27 | – Thanksgiving Day - | No Class |
| December 4 | Advertising | Chapter 16 |
| December 11 | The Manufacture of Consent | |
| December 18 | Final Exam | 8 PM – 10:30 PM |
Chapter Notes:
IMPORTANT CASES FOR "PRESS IN A FREE SOCIETY" - FINAL EXAM