Introduction to News Writing .edu



Mass Communication Law

COMM 5300-003 | Fall 2020 | Online

Professor: Glen Feighery

Contact: Canvas message (preferred) or glen.feighery@utah.edu

Overview

Required Materials and Resources

► Textbook: Mass Media Law by Clay Calvert, Dan V. Kozlowski, and Derigan Silver (21st edition, 2020). You must have the 21st edition.

The course has a fee for the textbook. You will access the book via Canvas via Bookshelf. (If you opt out of the electronic book, you’ll need to buy it yourself. The ISBN is 126051451X. The publisher is McGraw Hill Education.)

► A reliable Internet connection to stream/download materials and to take exams.

How This Course Will Work

► This class is entirely online and asynchronous. However ...

► ... When assignments are due, they’re due. Canvas will lock 1 minute after each assignment deadline (including exams) so know due dates and times.

► Most Mondays, you will have a Comment and Contribution due by 2 p.m.

► Most Fridays, you will have a Weekly Question due by 11:59 p.m.

(Weekly Questions will be on Wednesdays during exam weeks.)

► Early each week, I will post materials (narrated PowerPoint, study guides, etc.) to explain and apply concepts, answer your questions, and give you the Weekly Question.

► The Syllabus, Modules, and the Canvas calendar will remind you of assignment deadlines. If you have any questions, just let me know.

Course Structure

This course is organized into three parts. At the end of each part, there will be an exam.

► One: The First Amendment and Freedom of Expression

► Two: Libel and Privacy

► Three: Intellectual Property, Advertising, and Regulation

Course Outcomes

In this class, you will:

► Learn basic legal concepts, laws, and regulations governing media.

► Understand how courts function and create legal precedents.

► Learn legal tests and apply them to facts.

Things to Know: University Policies

► COVID-19: The U’s page about the pandemic and safety policies is here:

► Academic Integrity: Because this class is entirely online, I trust you to do your own work. University policies on plagiarism and honesty are here: (Section I, Part B2, and Section V, Part A and Part B, 1-5)

► ADA: The U seeks to provide equal access to its programs, services and activities. If you need accommodation, contact the Center for Disability and Access, Union Building Room 162, 801-581-5020, .

► Content Accommodation: This course might expose you to things you find discomforting. I will not make accommodations in course content, requirements, or expectations. (Section III, Part Q)

► Safety: The U values the safety of all campus community members. Campus police: 801-585-COPS (801-585-2677); also see safeu.utah.edu

► Respect: Violence and harassment based on sex and gender (including orientation and identity/ expression) is a civil-rights offense and is treated the same as those against race, national origin, color, religion, age, disabled status, veteran’s status, or genetic information.

► Grading, Registration, and Incompletes:

► Semester calendar:

Grading

Where Your Course Grade Comes From

Comments & Contributions (C&C’s) (10 pts. x 10 weeks) . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

Weekly Questions (8 pts. x 13 weeks) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 points

Case Briefs (4 pts. x 24 cases) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96 points

Exam 1 (Freedom of Expression) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

Exam 2 (Libel & Privacy) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

Exam 3 (Copyright & Advertising) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 points

Total: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 possible points

Grading Scale

When I calculate your course grade at the end of the semester, I will use these percentages:

100-94 A

93-90 A-

|Week 1: Introduction: This Course and the Legal System |

|Monday, Aug. 24 |• Read: This syllabus; “How to Comment and Contribute.” |

| |• Look at: Modules to see course structure. |

| |• Materials posted: Introduction and overview, including the Week 1 |

| |Question. |

| |• Form posted: Information Sheet. |

|Before Friday night |• Read: Chapter 1. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28 |• Week 1 Question: Answer question prompts about the Supreme Court and other|

| |courts, court structures, and legal tests. |

| |

|Week 2: The First Amendment and Free Expression |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Aug. 31 |• Read: Chapter 2, pp. 39-58. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 1: See specific prompts in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining the First Amendment and freedom of expression|

| |cases. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 4 |• Week 2 Question: Answer question prompts about legal tests and freedom of |

| |expression cases. |

| |

|Week 3: Free Expression and Prior Restraint |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 7 |• Read: Chapter 2, pp. 59-85. |

|Yes, it’s Labor Day. |• Comment and Contribution No. 2: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|Do this anytime before 2 p.m. | |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining cases from Schenck v. U.S. to Brandenburg v. |

| |Ohio, as well as |

| |Prior Restraint and the Pentagon Papers case. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 11 |• Week 3 Question: Answer question prompts about Michelle Carter, 8chan, or |

| |other cases. |

| |

|Week 4: Free Expression and Hate Speech |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14 |• Read: Chapter 3, pp. 87-137. |

| |• Listen to: More Perfect podcast, “The Hate Debate” (36 minutes) (Warning: |

| |There is strong language toward the end. You can skip the last 3-5 minutes.)|

| | |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 3: See specific prompts in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining hate speech and true threat cases. |

| |• Materials posted: Exam 1 Study Guide. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18 |• Week 4 Question: Answer question prompts about hate speech and true threat|

| |cases. |

| |

|Week 5: Case Briefs & Exam 1 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 21 |• Unit 1 Case Briefs. |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23 |• Week 5 Question: What do you need help with as you study for Exam 1? |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Sept. 25 |• Exam 1. |

| |

|Week 6: Libel, Part 1 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Sept. 28 |• Read: Chapters 4 and 5. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 4: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining the elements of libel—our mantra. Why New |

| |York Times v. Sullivan is so important. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 |• Week 6 Question: Answer question prompts about types of persons and fault.|

| |

|Week 7: Libel, Part 2 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5 |• Read: Chapter 6. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 5: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explanation of libel defenses, the Moab city manager |

| |case, and others. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9 |• Week 7 Question: Answer question prompts about libel defenses and related |

| |cases. |

| |

|Week 8: Privacy, Part 1 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 12 |• Read: Chapter 7. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 6: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining appropriation and Intrusion cases and |

| |applying legal tests. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16 |• Week 8 Question: Answer question prompts about appropriation and Intrusion|

| |cases. |

| |

|Week 9: Privacy, Part 2 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19 |• Read: Chapter 8. |

| |• Listen to: This American Life, Episode 675, Act One, “Anything You Say Can|

| |and Will Be Used ... on Television” (31 minutes) |

| | |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 7: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Private Facts and False Light cases and applying legal |

| |tests. |

| |• Materials posted: Exam 2 Study Guides. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 23 |• Week 9 Question: Answer question prompts about Private Facts and False |

| |Light. |

| |

|Week 10: Case Briefs & Exam 2 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Oct. 26 |• Unit 2 Case Briefs |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 28 |• Week 10 Question: What do you need help with as you study for Exam 2? |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 |• Exam 2. |

| |

|Week 11: Free Media and Fair Trials |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 2 |• Read: In Chapter 10, pp. 437-441; Chapter 11. |

| |(No C&C this week.) |

|This week |• Materials posted: Another way of looking at the Bill of Rights; courts and|

| |contempt; prejudicial pretrial publicity cases; when fair trials clash with |

| |Prior Restraint law. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6 |• Week 11 Question: Answer question prompts about Free Media vs. Fair |

| |Trials. |

| |

|Week 12: Intellectual Property |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 9 |• Read: Chapter 14. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 8: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining types of intellectual property, copyright |

| |infringement, and Fair Use. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13 |• Week 12 Question: Answer question prompts about copyright and Fair Use. |

| |

|Week 13: Advertising |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16 |• Read: Chapter 15. |

| |• Listen to: Life of the Law podcast, “Call Now!” (23 minutes) (This is |

| |mostly for fun.) |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 9: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas. |

|This week |• Materials posted: Explaining commercial speech, advertising cases and |

| |legal tests, plus advertising regulation via FTC procedures and remedies. |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Friday, Nov. 20 |• Week 13 Question: Answer question prompts about advertising cases and |

| |regulations. |

| |

|Week 14: Media Regulation & Net Neutrality |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 23 |• Read: In Chapter 3, pp. 137-146; Chapter 16, pp. 644-653. |

| |• Comment and Contribution No. 10: See specific prompts and cases in Canvas.|

|This week |• Materials posted: Addressing net Neutrality and political advertising. |

| |• Materials posted: Exam 3 Study Guides. |

| |NO MORE WEEKLY QUESTIONS! |

| |

|Week 15: Unit 3 Case Briefs & Review for Exam 3 |

|DUE by 2 p.m. Monday, Nov. 30 |• Unit 3 Case Briefs |

|This week |• Materials posted: Possible additional review to address questions about |

| |Exam 3. |

| |

|Week 16: Exam 3 |

|DUE by 11:59 p.m. Monday, Dec. 7 |• Exam 3. |

-----------------------

69-67 D+

66-64 D

63-60 D-

79-77 C+

76-74 C

73-70 C-

89-87 B+

86-84 B

83-80 B-

59-0 E

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