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Mass Media Law by Don R. Pember, 2001-2002 ed., McGraw-Hill. Communication law is constantly changing so don’t get an earlier edition.

Course Objective
To provide a working knowledge of mass communication laws and regulations, including those governing the press, broadcasters, and advertiser. You will gain an understanding of your rights and constitutional protections as mass communication practitioners, and of the free-expression theories underlying those rights. To reach this goal, we will rely on the study of relevant legal decisions, on lectures and on classroom discussions.

Course Requirements
Each student is expected to complete the readings and to brief the assigned cases by the required dates. Students are also expected to participate in classroom discussions. Regular attendance is required and roll will be taken. It is also strongly recommended that you check the course workspace. The workspace will contain information to help you prepare for class discussions and examinations. Your grade will be based on your class participation and preparation, on your scores on the exams, and on your performance on a legal research paper.

Research Paper
Each student will research and write a paper on a significant legal topic. Before you begin your project, you must submit a proposal and I must approve it. The papers will be a maximum of ten pages, double-spaced. I will discuss this paper in more detail once the semester gets under way. I will be looking for good grammar and clear, concise writing as I grade your research paper, as well as your exams.

Exams
We will have three exams. The final exam will not be comprehensive. The exams will include both multiple choice and essay questions.

Grade Breakdown