S. Media Law

Course Information

Course Number
L8169
Curriculum Level
Upperclass
Areas of Study
Constitutional Law, Intellectual Property and Technology
Type
Seminar

Section 001 Information

Instructor

Section Description

The seminar will cover intellectual property issues relating to the media, as well as libel, privacy, newsgathering, commercial speech, and web publishing. We will discuss copyright and disruptive technologies, the evolving fair use doctrine, and how media companies go about acquiring rights from content creators and monetizing those rights through multi-platform distribution and creation of derivative works. We will work through the copyright issues relating to digital archives, Internet service providers and search engines on the Internet, including direct and contributory copyright infringement, and the safe harbor provision of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.

For libel, privacy and newsgathering, we will read the most salient cases and statutes, watch broadcasts that resulted in litigations, learn how to find and fix legal issues pre-publication, and pick apart hypothetical situations in print, on the Internet and in video. We will compare notions of privacy and free expression in the United States and abroad. We will also look at the legal implications of native advertising, behavioral advertising, and user generated content.

Each student will write a 20-25 page research paper about a particular area of media law chosen by the student. Minor and major writing credit is available upon consultation with the instructors. The last two classes will be dedicated to 8-10 minute in-class student presentations of their paper topics. Grades will be based on the research paper as well as the presentation, class participation, preparedness, and attendance. No prior course in copyright or media law is required.

School Year & Semester
Fall 2023
Location
JGH 807
Schedule
Class meets on
  • Monday
4:20 pm - 6:10 pm
Points
2
Method of Evaluation
Paper
J.D Writing Credit?
Minor (upon consultation)
Major (only upon consultation)

Learning Outcomes

Primary
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in a specific body of law, including major policy concerns
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in doctrinal analysis, including close reading of cases and precedents, and application to facts
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in various lawyering skills, for example, oral advocacy, legal writing and drafting, legal research, negotiation, and client communication
Secondary
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in the historical development of law and legal institutions
  • At the end of the course, students will have acquired understanding of and/or facility in comparative law analysis of legal institutions and the law

Course Limitations

Instructor Pre-requisites
None
Instructor Co-Requisites
None
Requires Permission
No
Recommended Courses
Constitutional Law; Copyright
Other Limitations
None