2. Making Sense of Media Media Law

3. Concepts of Free Speech Classical GreeceClassical Greece 17 th Century England17 th Century England –Licensing Laws –Areopagitica Colonial laws against seditionColonial laws against sedition John Peter Zenger case (1735)John Peter Zenger case (1735) Contempt lawsContempt laws

4. Free Speech in the US The First Amendment (1791)

5. Amending Free Speech Alien and Sedition Act (1798)Alien and Sedition Act (1798) Comstock Act (1873)Comstock Act (1873) Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918)Espionage Act (1917) and Sedition Act (1918) Clear and Present Danger Doctrine (1919)Clear and Present Danger Doctrine (1919) Smith Act (1940)Smith Act (1940)

6. Media-Specific Legislation Communications Act of 1934Communications Act of 1934 Creation of FCCCreation of FCC Deregulation of 1980sDeregulation of 1980s Telecommunications Act of 1996Telecommunications Act of 1996 Obscenity Legislation continuesObscenity Legislation continues

7. Where’s Media Law Going? Global Media LawGlobal Media Law Concentration of OwnershipConcentration of Ownership New TechnologyNew Technology –The Internet Indecency vs ObscenityIndecency vs Obscenity HackingHacking FraudFraud VirusesViruses

8. Understanding Media Law US Legal System –Constitutional law –Statutory law –Administrative law –Common law

9. Rights of Individuals in Media Law Privacy Protections: –Private facts –Intrusion –Appropriation –Defamation SlanderSlander LibelLibel

10. Media Defenses Against Libel Charges TruthTruth The Times RuleThe Times Rule PrivilegePrivilege Fair CommentFair Comment

11. Intellectual Property Rights CopyrightCopyright –Fair use SamplingSampling DownloadingDownloading –Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 TrademarkTrademark PatentPatent

12. Rights of Newsgatherers Sunshine LawsSunshine Laws Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) Shield LawShield Law

13. Controversial Issues Censorship: What kind of speech should be protected?Censorship: What kind of speech should be protected?Censorship Political Speech?Political Speech? Artistic Speech?Artistic Speech? Commercial Speech?Commercial Speech? Offensive Speech?Offensive Speech? Conflicting RightsConflicting Rights Individual rightsIndividual rights Public’s right to knowPublic’s right to know