Tues., 1/16

Introduction

Two parallel issues: law and ethics

Thurs., 1/18

The United States legal system

Overbeck, chap. 1

Tues.,  1/23

A journalist’s responsibility

OVERHEADS

Here's a link to the U.S. Supreme Court official Web site. Also, check out the Supreme Court Historical Society Web site, with its biographies on current judges. Make sure you know the nine names and general political makeup by today. 

Make sure you keep up with the important legal and media  news throughout the semester.  You are responsible for scanning the top two screens worth of  headlines on the homepage of the New York Times online everyday and reading any relevant news that pertains to our class. Alternatively, you may read the articles on the front page of the printed edition.  The most important news right now for us is the nomination and confirmation hearings of John Ashcroft. 

New York Times v. Sullivan

(For all of these cases, make sure you check out the Supreme Court ruling.  In it, you should read the summary, skim the headnotes and footnotes, and read the syllabus, opinion, concurring opinion, and dissent.  If the case was decided after 1980, read a background article, preferably from the New York Times, on the verdict, which you can get from the article database in Lexis/Nexis).  See me if you have problems accessing a particular case from Lexis/Nexis.

Thurs., 1/25

The First Amendment

OVERHEADS

Overbeck, chap. 2 (read pp. 33-50)

The First Amendment;

Schenck v. United States

Mauro, “The 8-Foot Bubble” (handout)

Tues., 1/30

Prior restraint

OVERHEADS

Overbeck, chap. 3 (read 61-73, 103; skim 74-102)

Near v. Minnesota;

City of Erie v. Pap's A.M.;

New York Times v. U.S.;

Jesse Jackson articles (handout)

Thurs., 2/1

Libel and slander

OVERHEADS

Overbeck, chap. 4 (all!)

Tues., 2/6

Libel and slander II

OVERHEADS

New York Times V. Sullivan (again);

Gertz v. Welch, 1974 (read only enough to get the main arguments)

Thurs., 2/8

Libel and slander III

Video: People v. Larry Flynt

Hustler Magazine v. Falwell, 1988

Tues., 2/13

The right to privacy

OVERHEADS

Overbeck, chap. 5 (read 165-186, 208)

Food Lion v. Capital Cities/ABC

Thurs., 2/15

Privacy in cyberspace

OVERHEADS

New York Times on Internet Privacy;

Let's save Epic.org for another day... but do think hard about the ethical questions we raised regarding Food Lion v. Cap. Cities/ABC

Tues., 2/20

TEST 1

Thurs., 2/22

Libel in cyberspace

Drudge v. Blumenthal  

Mindich, “The New New Journalism”;

Responses

2/26-3/4

Winter recess

Tues., 3/6

Ethical issues:

Covering the law

OVERHEADS

Menand, "Civil Actions: Brown v. Board of Education and the limits of law" (handout); Greenhouse, "Election Case a Test and a Trauma."

Thurs., 3/8  

Friday, 3/9

2pm, 7pm

Copyright

OVERHEADS

David Katzenstein, lectures on photography, ethics, online

Time, 2pm (Farrell room)

7pm, big show (McCarthy)

Overbeck, chap. 6, pp. 209-218, 223-227, 244-248;

Barlow, “The Next Economy of Ideas”

Tues., 3/13

Fair trial-free press;

Newsgatherer’s privilege; FOI

OVERHEADS

Overbeck,

Chap. 7: 267-282; 299

Chap. 8, 300-313; 324-330

Chap. 9, 331-340; 363-365

Thurs., 3/15

Obscenity

OVERHEADS

Overbeck, chap. 10 (all);

CDA, COPA from EPIC Please read all related links on  the CDA and the COPA

Tues., 3/20

TEST 2

Thurs., 3/22

Tues., 3/27

Moot Court 

The class will get into four groups of around six students each.  Your job is to present a fictitious trial involving media law.   

You will write a short script about a case on the trial level (either civil or criminal) so that you can present a 20-minute mock trial to include:

Opening arguments

Evidence

Closing arguments

Judge's instructions to the jury (who will be your classmates).  

The presentation will be followed by open deliberations by the jury.  

I will grade the presentation on its polish, legal accuracy, the extent to which it provokes a discussion, and its overall quality.

Tues., 3/29

Moot Court 

Tues., 4/3

Media ownership issues

Murrow, McCarthy tape

Overbeck, 

Chap. 11, 396-399; 459-471

Chap. 12, 473-477; 499-500

Chap. 13, 501-513; 546

Thurs., 4/5

Media ownership issues

Paper, discussed

Video:  Covering tobacco

  Bagdikian, Media Monopoly preface (handout)

Tues., 4/10

Evaluating Bagdikian

Thurs., 4/12

Student press issues

OVERHEADS

  Overbeck, chap. 14 (all)

Tues., 4/17

TEST 3

Thurs., 4/19

Ethical issues

Jimmy's World:

After you read the handout, click here

Tues., 4/24

Paper workshop

Draft of paper is due

Thurs., 4/26

Paper is due

Tues., 5/1

Riveting conclusion

Evaluation