Department of Mass Communication College of Liberal Arts

University of Central Oklahoma Department Phone: 405-974-5303 Fax: 405-974-5125

MCOM 4563 Media Law CRN 23642(Online)

Spring 2018 Syllabus NOTE: THIS IS NOT THE OFFICIAL SYLLABUS FOR MCOM 4563 MEDIA LAW CRN 23642. THE OFFICIAL UPDATED SYLLABUS WILL BE AVAILABLE ON THE COURSE SYLLABUS WEBSITE THROUGH DESIRE2LEARN.

Course description: This course is a study of the legal rights and restrictions with the resulting duties and responsibilities related to the media. Prerequisite(s): ENG 1113 and 1213. Enrollment open to Mass Communication majors only. Junior or senior standing.

Dr. Bill Hickman Twitter: @CopyEditorProf #ucomedialaw Office: Communications Building COM 207B Office hours COM 207B: Online class (see email information below). Telephone: (405) 974-5984, Fax: (405) 974-5125 Email: Desire2Learn course website for class email (will respond as soon as possible).

The contents of this entire site are subject to revision 24 hours a day, seven days a week through the entire semester. This Desire2Learn website syllabus will be updated frequently throughout the semester.

The entire contents of the University of Central Oklahoma Undergraduate Catalog 2017-2018 are incorporated by reference within this syllabus website.

Helping Students Learn!

UCO Mission: UCO exists to help students learn by providing transformative educational experiences to students so that they may become productive, creative, ethical and engaged citizens and leaders serving our global community.

Department of Mass Communication Mission: UCO's Department of Mass Communication values knowledge and professional skills that advance students toward successful career preparation, responsible citizenship to preserve a free and engaged society, and life-long learning within a global community. Our student-centered approach, supported by quality teaching and creative scholarly achievement, emphasizes clear communication, effective writing, critical thinking, creative expression, community service, ethical principles and innovative leadership.

Transformative Education includes the following components: (1) health and wellness, (2) discipline knowledge, (3) problem-solving (research, scholarly and creative activities), (4) global and cultural competencies, (5) service learning and civic engagement, and (6) leadership. This course meets these components as follows: (2) discipline knowledge: study of constitutional theories and legal rights as they affect the media, (3) problem-solving: identifying and applying media law to legal fact patterns, researching sources of media law, and testing knowledge of media law theories, (4) global and cultural competencies: discussion of different media law approaches in other cultures and nations, (5) service learning and civic engagement: student research and attendance at Oklahoma County state and federal trials as a term project.

The UCO Liberal Arts College challenges students to: speak clearly, write well, appreciate difference, ask questions, act ethically, participate, value the past, encounter the present, and create the future.

Why we are here � Deceased actor Peter Cushing is brought back to life for the movie “Rogue One: A Star

Wars Story” � Carrie Fisher will appear via CGI in the ninth “Star Wars” movie. � Journalists use the Oklahoma Open Records Act to seek the release of a video that shows

an incident involving OU football player Joe Mixon at a Norman restaurant. � Former Oklahoma City meteorologist Aaron Tuttle sues The Lost Ogle website for libel. � Continental Resources Chairman and Chief Executive Harold Hamm sues Oklahoma City

oilman Mickey Thompson for libel. � The Oklahoma City Council passes an ordinance designed to address panhandling on city

street corners, raising First Amendment issues about freedom of speech. � A lawsuit alleges that Norman city officials violated the Oklahoma Open Records Act by

charging to search for records requested in the public interest and by failing to provide “prompt, reasonable access” to documents.

� Twenty school shootings in the United States in 2015 attract media attention, raising First Amendment issues about news gathering and reporting.

� UCLA basketball player Ed O'Bannon sues the NCAA and wins, arguing that college athletes can control the use of their likenesses or images.

� Actress Robin Wright ("Forrest Gump") stars in the movie “The Congress,” in which she portrays a hard-up, alternative version of herself as an actress. "Wright" sells the rights to her likeness and image to a movie studio, which then recreates her image in new movies even as her real self grows older.

� George Zimmerman is found not guilty in connection with the death of teenager Trayvon Martin in Florida.

� A gunman attacks moviegoers at a midnight showing of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Colorado.

� Two defendants plead guilty in the 2009 death of homeless man Bicycle Bob in Edmond. � Casey Anthony is found not guilty in connection with the murder of her small daughter in

Florida. � The website WikiLeaks.org posts classified documents about the U.S. military

involvement in Afghanistan.

� Pharmacist Jerome Jay Ersland is found guilty of murder in Oklahoma County court, a trial that attracted worldwide news media attention.

� The movies "Iron Man 3," "Avengers: Age of Ultron," "Gravity" and James Cameron's upcoming "Avatar" sequels bring computer image generation into a new age.

� The Internet user "Darth Husker" is sued for libel by The Oklahoman for posting a fake sports story about an OU quarterback.

� The U.S. Supreme Court's controversial campaign finance decision in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission says corporations have the same right of free speech as individuals.

� The Oklahoma Legislature declines to make itself subject to the state Open Records and Open Meeting Acts.

� Democrats in Congress close the doors to the public when they finalized the health reform bill.

� Media coverage of celebrities becomes more invasive. � Use of dead actors' images in new productions increases. � Internet downloads in Great Britain of music, movies, computer programs and television

shows increase despite a court order to block access to illegal downloading sites. � Digital Rights Management of legally downloaded music. � Tabloid television. � Political attack ads in the 2014 midterm elections and the upcoming 2016 presidential

election. � The Internet and libel. � The Internet and government records. � And, yes, even the movies “Interstellar,” “Star Wars: Episode VII - The Force Awakens”

and “Forrest Gump" (with Robin Wright).

All of the above may sound like unusual topics for a law course. However, they all involve legal and ethical issues that we will discuss together this semester in class. And, aside from grades, tests and other typical classroom concerns, I hope you walk away from this class with an awareness and understanding of basic legal and ethical issues in mass communications law.

Most of these issues arise out of the First Amendment and court decisions. At first, the study of law may be intimidating to you. We will work together during this semester to help you understand the law and those ethical issues that arise out of it.

Student Learning Outcomes Upon completion of this course, the student will have been given the opportunity to

demonstrate knowledge about media law issues, focused in most part on the First Amendment. Competency will be determined by the student's affirmative assumption of responsibility and accountability sufficient to successfully complete all exercises, quizzes, tests and assignments, as calculated from the Grading page of this syllabus, to earn full course credit toward a baccalaureate undergraduate degree at the University of Central Oklahoma. Specific or enabling objectives:

Identify legal issues and problem areas of communications law, such as libel, the right of privacy, and advertising and broadcast law regulations as these apply to day-to-day development of communications products. These include multicultural aspects of communications law.

Discuss ethical considerations arising out of communications law, both within the United

States and around the world.

Demonstrate an understanding of federal and state court systems and trial procedures.

Demonstrate an understanding of the development of freedom of expression from English origins to the U.S. Constitution, focusing on the First Amendment.

Grading

Test 1 100 possible points x 3 (15%) = ? Test 2 100 possible points x 3 (15%) = ? Test 3 100 possible points x 3 (15%) = ? Term project 100 possible points x 3 (15%) = ? Term project outline 100 possible points (5%) = ? Syllabus test 100 possible points x 2 (10%) = ? Quizzes (14 total - drop two) 1,200 possible points

divided by 12 x 3 (15%) = ?

Discussion topics (11 total - drop two) 900 possible points divided by 9

x 2 (10%) = ?

TOTAL divided by 20 = Final Average A = 90 to 100 B = 80 to 89 C = 70 to 79 D = 60 to 69 F = 59 & below

Note that you simply add up the points above to figure out where you are. Averaging has nothing to do with the grading system in this class. Just add the points to see where you stand and what you have to do to get where you want to go!

Official record of grades: Grades are available throughout the semester to each individual via the course grade book on the Desire2Learn site. However, these are not the official record of grades. The official record of grades shall be recorded and maintained in the instructor's paper- bound, hard-copy grade book.

Math skills: It is presumed that when you enroll in this course, you already possess basic, functional, minimally acceptable mathematical skills. In other words, you already know how to figure out the basic math required under the grading formula detailed above in order to project a future course grade at any time during the semester and to determine the final course grade. If you do not possess these skills upon enrollment in this class, you assume the risk.

Grade projections: You will not receive any promises, assurances, projections, estimates or other statements from the instructor that would suggest what your final grade or any individual grade would be in this class. Grade estimates provided for a tuition waiver application shall not be construed as a promise, assurance, projection, estimate or any other statement suggesting what your final grade would be in this class. Extra work is not available outside the specifically assigned work in this course, including but not limited to outlines, term projects, discussions, tests and quizzes.

The rule on "substitutions": You do not get to "substitute" one score for another, nor do you get to complete "extra points" exercises. The scoring breakdown as detailed above will be followed in all instances.

The rule on Desire2Learn tests and quizzes: Any scores produced through Desire2Learn tests and quizzes shall be final. Any mismarked answers will count.

Department of Mass Communication Policies – Spring 2018

College of Liberal Arts University of Central Oklahoma

Departmental Phone: (405) 974-5303 Website: http://www.uco.edu/la/masscomm/

UCentral Student Media has an app! Go to iTunes to download it for free Follow the department Twitter account @UCO_MCOM

“Like” the UCO - Department of Mass Communication Facebook Page Follow us on Instagram at uco_mcom

MCOM Majors Email: The department, the college, and the university utilize the UCO email address assigned to each UCO student. Official information will be emailed through the UCO system. Students have the option of forwarding their UCO email to a personal email account if preferred. For information, go to http://www.uco.edu/technology/student/email/index.asp. If students do not check their UCO email, they risk missing vital information. If you do not use your UCO email account, please forward your UCO email to an email account you check frequently. Student Advisement MCOM has two Student Success Advisors for MCOM majors. Each student is responsible for seeking advisement information each semester in order to graduate in a timely manner.

• Mr. Gary Parsons o Office: COM 103A o Phone: 974-5140 o Email: gparsons2@uco.edu

• Ms. Laura Donner

o Office: COM 103 o Phone: 974-5108 o Email: ldonner@uco.edu

UCentral Student Media: http://www.uco.edu/la/masscomm/ucentral/index.asp UCentral is the student media network at the University of Central Oklahoma, featuring traditional media (television, radio, newspaper) and new media (web, netcasts, social networking) created by students majoring in professional media. UCentral is located within the Mass Communication Department on the campus of UCO.

Spring Events

• Monday, January 8th – first day of the spring semester, classes begin • Monday, January 15th Martin Luther King Day, no classes • Friday, February 9th – Fusion Conference • Tuesday and Wednesday, February 27 & 28 – MCOM Faculty Mentoring • March 19-23 – Spring Break, no classes • Wednesday, March 28th - Liberal Arts Symposium – classes redirected • April 5th and 6th – National Conference for Undergraduate Research – classes redirected • Saturday, April 21st – MCOM Awards Ceremony • Friday, April 27th – fall semester classwork ends • April 30th – May 4th – final exam week

Expectation of Work Full-time college students are expected to spend approximately 40 hours each week in class attendance and study outside of class. According to Regents’ policy, for each hour in class a student is expected to spend two (2) to three (3) hours studying for the class (OSRHE II-2-34). For each three-credit hour course, the Regents expect students to study/prepare 6-9 hours per week. UCO Student Code of Conduct Students are responsible for all information in the Student Code of Conduct 2017-2018. This can be accessed on the Student Affairs Publications website at http://online.fliphtml5.com/ekrc/bfru/#p=1 ACADEMIC DISHONESTY AND PLAGIARISM: The UCO Student Code of Conduct describes Academic Dishonesty and outlines the steps for disciplinary action in the Guidelines for Alleged Academic Dishonesty. This information can be found in Section III, C, 3 & 4. Academic dishonesty: Includes but is not limited to the “giving” and “taking” of improper assistance in examinations and assignments; not adhering to correct procedures for identification of sources in reports and essays and all creative endeavors; intentional misrepresentation; cheating; plagiarism; and unauthorized possession of examinations. The UCO Student Code of Conduct provides further details. Additionally, any work submitted as an assignment for one class may not be submitted for credit in another class, without prior permission of the professor. Any work so submitted will receive an automatic "0." Plagiarism: When a student submits any assignment for a course (written, oral, videotape, audiotape, photograph or Web Site), the student will submit entirely original work or will properly cite all sources utilized in the preparation of the assignment. Without proper citation, the student is guilty of plagiarism, which is not tolerated at UCO. As a student, you are responsible for understanding what constitutes plagiarism. You should talk to your professor to ensure that you can recognize and avoid all types of plagiarism. Plagiarism occurs in two primary ways: 1. Word-for-word copying, without acknowledgement, of the language or creative work of

another person. Having another person complete all or part of your assignment is plagiarism and is clearly forbidden. But, in addition, the student should include NO written, video, audio, or photographic material from an existing source, no matter how brief, without acknowledging the source. When using the written words of an existing source in your assignment, either place the borrowed words in quotation marks or set the quotation aside as a block quotation. Additionally, you must include the citation for the material in your assignment. This applies to even the briefest of phrases if they are truly distinctive.

2. The unacknowledged paraphrasing of an author’s ideas. The student should no more take credit for another person’s thoughts than for another person’s words. Any distinctive, original idea taken from another writer should be credited to its author. If you are not sure whether or not an author’s idea is distinctive, you should assume that it is: no fault attaches to over-acknowledgement, but under-acknowledgement is plagiarism. Most style manuals (e.g., Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association) provide information concerning how to paraphrase and cite the ideas and writings of existing sources.

Students may be dismissed from the university for plagiarism. University guidelines provide a range of disciplinary action dependent upon the severity of the offense including but not limited to: requiring a substitute assignment, awarding a reduced grade, awarding a failing grade for the assignment, awarding a failing grade for the course, or expelling the student from the university. Acknowledging that instances of plagiarism may range from minor to severe, the Department of Mass Communication allows the course professor to determine the severity and the disciplinary action for the first instance of plagiarism committed by a student in the professor’s course. However, if that student commits plagiarism a second time in the course, departmental policy requires that the student receive both a failing grade (“F”) for the course and a referral to the UCO Student Conduct Officer. Students should make sure they understand professor expectations for sources and content to be cited. Turnitin.com Plagiarism Syllabus Statement: UCO subscribes to the Turnitin.com plagiarism prevention service. Students agree that by taking this course, all required assignments may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com restricted access reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such assignments. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com website. Turnitin.com is just one of various plagiarism prevention tools and methods which may be utilized by your faculty instructor during the terms of the semesters. In the UCO Student Handbook, there is a process for contesting any plagiarism allegations against you. ADA Statement Regarding Special Accommodations: The University of Central Oklahoma complies with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990. Students with disabilities who need special accommodations must contact Disability Support Services at (405) 974-2516. The DSS Office is located in the Nigh University Center Room 305. Students should also notify the instructor of special accommodation needs as soon as possible. Per Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX), pregnant and parenting students may request adjustments by contacting the Title IX Coordinator, at (405)974-3377 or TitleIX@uco.edu. The Title IX Office is located in the Lillard Administration Building, Room 114D. Transformative Learning: http://www.uco.edu/central/tl/ “At the University of Central Oklahoma, we help students learn by providing transformative experiences so that they may become productive, creative, ethical and engaged citizens and leaders contributing to the intellectual, cultural, economic and social advancement of the communities they serve. Transformative learning is a holistic process that places students at the center of their own active and reflective learning experiences. All students at UCO will have transformative learning experiences in five core areas: leadership; research, creative and scholarly activities; service learning and civic engagement; global and cultural competencies; and health and wellness.” Class Attendance: (Taken from the Faculty Handbook)

The university expects students to regularly attend classes in which they are enrolled. Faculty members are expected to establish specific attendance policies governing their classes. Attendance policies must appear in the course syllabi. Faculty members may require appropriate documentation to verify absences. Students are responsible for work missed due to absences. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate a request to make up class work or examinations missed. Individual policies must allow for a reasonable but not unlimited, number of excused absences, for legitimate reasons. Excused absences approved by faculty members should be consistently applied to all students. An excused absence means that an instructor may not penalize the student and must provide a reasonable and timely accommodation or opportunity to make up exams or other course requirements that have an impact on course grade. Excused students should be allowed the same opportunities as students who were present in class. Faculty members are obligated to honor the following circumstances as excused absences:

a. travel considered part of the instructional program of the university and requiring absence from class (e.g. field trips, research presentations, etc.);

b. invited participation in activities directly and officially sponsored by and in the interest of the university (e.g. athletic teams, debate teams, dance company, etc.); in cases of student athletes, refer to UCO Compliance Policy Manual for Athletics or contact the Faculty Athletic Representative;

c. jury duty; d. military obligation (See Appendix K in Faculty Handbook.) e. serious illness, medical condition, pregnant and parenting students’ rights (as outlined in

Title IX), accident, or injury; and f. death or serious illness in immediate family

Further information can be found at http://sites.uco.edu/academic-affairs/files/aa-forms/StudentInfoSheet.pdf Requirements

This is a hard course. It's media law, and it has to be a hard course. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be prepared to survive in the electronic information age. Law in general can be a pretty dry topic, and b-o-r-i-n-g. That's a challenge for people like me who have to teach this topic. I try to make media law interesting, but it is still a hard topic. To make things even more interesting, an online course means YOU have to keep up with all the modules, quizzes, discussions, assignments and tests. Just ask someone who has slogged their way through this online course in previous semesters. You should keep this in mind when you go over all the items below. Review everything, and stay informed.

Here are a few things you should know:

Technology

You should have a basic, fluent, functionally literate understanding of the English language,

with the presumption that you have already possess these basic grammar, spelling and composition skills when you enter this class. This is not a remedial grammar class.

You should already possess basic computer skills, including but not limited to: 1) How to

create a document, 2) How to save a document without closing the program, 3) How to save a document to a flash drive, not the hard drive (File Open, File Save and File Save As), 4) How to

transfer text from one program to another, and from one place to another within the program (copy and paste), and 5) How to use a Web browser, how to type a URL to access a website, and how to navigate through a website.

You should have the basic skills necessary to draft and send an e-mail message through

Desire2Learn and place a Microsoft Word or Apple Pages file attachment in the e-mail message. In this class, the e-mail attachment will contain your term project outline and summary, and the final assignment. You may use your home computer, if you want. If you turn in an assignment via e-mail without using a Word or Pages file attachment, or without putting your name on it, or if I cannot open your attachment, you will receive a zero for the assignment.

You should have access to a computer with Microsoft Word or Apple Pages installed. You

should obtain and possess a workable Internet e-mail account as a backup to the UCO e-mail account that you will use for this course.

This one is important. You should already have broadband access to a computer with either

your own Internet service provider account (for example, Cox Communications or AT&T U- verse) or broadband access to the Internet through another computer or through the UCO computer network (if you are on campus and it is available) in order to access the Desire2Learn course. You may use available Department of Mass Communication computers during open lab hours in COM 103i, or any broadband general access computers on campus. However, you must have broadband Internet access to be able to view the class website

throughout the semester for assignments, study guides, announcements and other information. By enrolling in this course, you are given constructive notice of your website's contents, no matter how many times the site is updated. (In other words, check this site often for changes and updates!!)

This suggestion is based on real world media experience. Purchase at least one USB jump

drive for uploading, downloading and saving your discussions and term project materials. The Communications Building labs have iMac computers that will take the USB drives. Any technical problem is an unacceptable excuse for missing a deadline - that's a real-world reality, not my attempt to make your life miserable. Saving your materials on a USB jump drive will help avoid this problem. You'll also use that USB jump drive in other department classes.

Internet & E-mail

The course email is simplified by the automated process on D2L. All students need to know is how to use the course email link.

Technical support

Unfortunately, I am NOT Desire2Learn technical support for this course. To make sure technical issues are not passed back and forth from you to me to Information Technology and back to me and to you, you are responsible for contacting IT directly to identify and resolve any technical issues. You will get a much faster answer to a technical problem this way rather than have me as middle person with IT!

Technical help is available for you from UCO's Office of Information Technology.

Online: http://www.uco.edu/technology/forms/contact.asp Email: support@uco.edu Extension: 2255 Telephone: (405) 974-2255

IT Support Desk Location: Max Chambers Library, northeast corner of the first floor

Cloud services & mobile devices

UCO offers Microsoft OneDrive for the campus cloud storage solution. Its use is optional. OneDrive is UCO’s secure cloud service and is preferred to Dropbox. Dropbox is a non- approved application for campus computers and will be removed from campus computers if it is installed.

Services such as Dropbox, iCloud and Box keep a copy of data you share with them on non- UCO computers (known as web servers) where it is stored and always connected to the Internet (also called "the cloud"). While convenient, these services pose a security risk on many levels

when UCO data is involved. Each of these cloud services are considered a personal resource and involve an agreement you make with the service provider. As a result, UCO is unable to backup, retrieve and restore any information kept on these non-UCO approved cloud services. UCO discourages the use of these services for official university business.

Confidential student information (including, but not limited to student ID photos) should not be stored on a cell phone, iPhone, iPad, Android, flash drive or non-UCO approved cloud storage site and never should be sent via email.

Deadlines

Learn how to work under deadline requirements similar to those that communication professionals face each day in the "real world." In other words, you need to understand what a deadline is, and what happens when you fail to meet a deadline. Again, I'm not making your life miserable. If you can't do this in the real world, you end up with a job wearing a shirt with your name on it.

Communication skills

Learn how you can become a better communicator, both orally and in writing, in order to have the versatility to be able to market your job skills in the communications employment market.

Makeups

Under revised university policy as described above, test and quiz makeups may be available under the following circumstances:

• Travel considered part of the instructional program of the university and requiring absence from class (e.g. field trips, research presentations, etc.) • Invited participation in activities directly and officially sponsored by and in the interest of the university (e.g. athletic teams, debate teams, dance company, etc.) • Jury duty • Military obligation • Serious illness, medical condition, accident, or injury • Death or serious illness in immediate family • Religious observances. (e.g. Yom Kippur, Good Friday, Passover, Rosh Hashanah, etc.) Note: a list of religious observances must be submitted to the instructor the first two weeks of the semester of which the observance will be held).

Makeup Week for all tests and quizzes shall be Monday, April 23, 2018, to Friday, April 27, 2018. Please note that the semester, and all course work, concludes on Friday, April 27, 2018, at 11:59 p.m. You are responsible for keeping track of all makeups.

Grading

The grading page lists what work will contribute to your final grade and what percentage of the final grade it will be. Please don't add up all your scores and average them - that's wrong, and you'll end up figuring out the wrong grade. Or, as they say in the antique store - if you break it, you buy it.

Turning in assignments

The rule on when and whether an assignment, discussion, quiz or test is completed is very simple: It is turned in when RECEIVED on Desire2Learn or Turnitin. This means the receipt rule is in effect at all times during the semester. In other words, if Desire2Learn or Turnitin does not show the completed activity, then it is not turned in no matter what the reason is. Yes, this penalizes people who did what they were supposed to do, only to see Desire2Learn or Turnitin eat the assignment. Because some people abuse the system, we must follow this rule. You can protect yourself if you send me a note and ask if I can see your completed activity on Desire2Learn or Turnitin. However, if you are having any technical problems turning in an assignment or exercise, viewing the class website or accomplishing any other class project or activity, you are responsible for identifying and resolving the technical problem.

On any assignments and discussions that you have to submit to be received through D2L and Turnitin, submitting to be received on Turnitin only is not the same as submitting to be received on D2L and Turnitin. After you send your assignment or discussion to be received through Turnitin, your assignment or discussion must also be received on D2L. If you don't send it to be received on D2L after Turnitin review, you get points deducted or a zero. If you pay attention to what you are doing, this should be a no-brainer for you!

Textbook

� Media Law: A Guide to Understanding Mass Communication Law (Mark Hanebutt), 2016

� ISBN: 978-1-4652-8007-7

Supplement materials as needed Online study guides will be provided for all tests and quizzes

Suggested reference textbook

� Libel-Proof Your Writing: The Importance of Accuracy and Attribution (Charles

DeLaFuente) Attendance policy

From the UCO Undergraduate Catalog 2017-2018:

The university expects students to regularly attend classes in which they are enrolled. Faculty members are expected to establish specific attendance policies governing their classes. Attendance policies must appear in the course syllabi. Faculty members may require appropriate documentation to verify absences. Students are responsible for work missed due to absences. It is the student’s responsibility to initiate a request to make up class work or examinations missed.

(Note: Attendance in this online course means failure to log in and complete quizzes, tests, discussions and the respective term project.)

How grades will be posted

All grades will be posted on the class Desire2Learn site. An electronic grade book has been set up on Desire2Learn for this class. Scores will NOT be sent to you via e-mail - the university doesn't allow this. However, I will maintain a paper grade book. Pay attention: The paper grade book will be the official record of scores - not Desire2Learn. Check the class website throughout the semester right up to the last day. You are presumed to have received notice of all scores posted during the course of this semester, regardless of whether you actually saw them on Desire2Learn.

Tests and quizzes will be graded and posted on Desire2Learn (and entered in the paper grade book) as soon as possible after you take them. The receipt rule as described above is in effect for all tests and quizzes after you have taken them. All scores are presumed final, even if you mismark an answer. The semester, and all course work, concludes on Friday, April 27, 2018, at 11:59 p.m.

You are responsible in an online class to keep up with all tests, quizzes, discussions and assignments.

Tests & quizzes

All tests and quizzes will be taken through Desire2Learn.

The rule on online tests and quizzes: The score as determined by Desire2Learn upon submission

will be the final score.

Tests 1, 2 and 3 will be timed, online examinations taken with Desire2Learn. These tests will consist of multiple-choice and true-false questions. You will be provided a study guide for these tests. Sixteen timed quizzes will be given during the semester with Desire2Learn.

Any work submitted as an assignment for another class may not be submitted for credit in this class, without prior permission of the professor. Any work so submitted will receive an automatic zero.

Turnitin.com statement

UCO subscribes to the Turnitin.com plagiarism prevention service. Students agree that by taking this course, all required assignments may be subject to submission for textual similarity review to Turnitin.com for the detection of plagiarism. All submitted assignments will be included as source documents in the Turnitin.com restricted access reference database for the purpose of detecting plagiarism of such assignments. Use of the Turnitin.com service is subject to the Terms and Conditions of Use posted on the Turnitin.com Web site. Turnitin.com will be used in this class. The UCO Student Handbook includes a process for contesting any plagiarism allegations against you.

Media Law Course Schedule

This schedule will be updated often! You are hereby given notice as to the contents of this schedule, regardless of how many times it is updated. WEEK READINGS,

DISCUSSIONS & ACTIVITIES

EXERCISES & ASSIGNMENTS

QUIZZES & TESTS

ONLINE ACTIVITIES & NOTES

Week 1

Week of Jan. 8

MODULE 1: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 1 – The Purpose, Origin and Types of Law o The Need for Order, pp. 1 – 3. o Law, Ethics and Morality, pp. 3 – 5. o Systems of Law, pp. 5 – 6. o Common Law, pp. 6 – 9. o Equity Law, pp. 9 – 10. o Statutory Law,

MODULE 1: ACTIVITY (for review only): o View "Our Courts: Rule of Law" video o View Oklahoma Bar Association "A Guide for Journalists & Lawyers" videos o Complete "Our Courts: Rule of Law" Critical

MODULE 1: ASSESSMENTS: o Complete Syllabus Test (graded - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 11, to 5 p.m. Friday, Janb. 12).

pp. 10 – 11. o Constitutional Law, pp. 12 – 13. o Administrative Law, pp. 13. o Executive Orders, p. 14. o Areas of Law, p. 14.

Thinking

MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. HOLIDAY: Monday, Jan. 15 Week 2

Week of Jan. 15

MODULE 2: READ: Chapter 2 – American Democracy and the Law o Early Events That Shaped= American Law, pp. 15 – 18. o The Enlightenment – Foundation of American Government, pp. 18 – 20. o Moving Toward a Government of, by and for the People, pp. 20 – 21. o Principles of Democracy, pp. 21 – 25. o Drafting the U.S., Constitution, pp. 25 – 26. o The Fight for Ratification, pp. 26 – 29. o What’s in the Constitution: Types and Limitations of Power, pp. 29 – 30. o The Congress,

MODULE 2: ACTIVITY: o Complete the Lexis-Nexis computer research orientation (for review only). o U.S. court systems chart. o Constitutional Assessment Quiz (for review only - available 12 a.m. Monday, Jan. 15, to 11:59 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19) o U.S. Constitution Quiz (The Christian Science Monitor - for review only). o The U.S. Constitution Quiz (PDF – for review only). o Bill of Rights Interactive Quiz (Annenburg Institute – for review only). o Oklahoma Court Facts Quiz (for review only)

MODULE 2: ASSESSMENTS: o Complete Quiz 1 of 14 (available 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19). o Complete Quiz 2 of 14 (available 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 18, to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 19).

o POST REPLY TO WELCOME & FACULTY EXPECTATIONS PAGE BY FRIDAY, JAN. 19. o POST REPLY TO INTRODUCE YOURSELF PAGE BY FRIDAY, JAN. 19.

pp. 30 – 34. o How a Bill Becomes a Law, pp. 34 – 37. o The Presidency, pp. 37 – 42.

Week 3

Week of Jan. 22

MODULE 3: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 3 - The American Legal System o Seeking Truth and Interpreting the Law, pp. 433 – 45. o A Dual Court System, pp. 46 – 49. o The Federal Courts, pp. 49 – 52. o Anatomy of a Lawsuit, pp. 52 – 60. o Finding the Law, pp. 60 – 62. o Briefing a Case, p. 62. o Bench-Bar-Press Guidelines, pp. 62 – 63.

MODULE 3: ACTIVITY: o Complete First Amendment Quiz (for review only - available anytime).

MODULE 3: ASSESSMENT: o Complete BONUS Civics Quiz (available 8 a.m. Wednesday, Jan. 24, to 5 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 25). o Complete Quiz 3 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 25, to 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 26).

Week 4

Week of Jan. 29

MODULE 4: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 4 - The First Amendment: A Look at Speech and Press o Protecting the Pursuit of Truth, pp. 65 - 66. o A History of Censorship, pp. 66 - 68. o Advocates of Free Expression, pp. 68 - 70.

MODULE 4: ACTIVITY: o Press Freedom Quiz (for review only - available anytime). o The First Amendment Game: Tinker v. Des Moines (for review only - available anytime).

MODULE 4: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 4 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2) o Complete Discussion 1 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Friday, Feb. 2).

o Early Suppression in America, pp. 70 - 72. o The First Amendment: Discovering the Framers’ Intent, pp. 73 - 74. o Ways to Interpret the First Amendment, pp. 74 - 79. o The Future of the First Amendment, pp. 79 – 81.

Week 5

Week of Feb. 5

MODULE 5: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 5 – The Boundaries of Free Expression o The Alien & Sedition Acts of 1798, pp. 83 - 85. o The Espionage & Sedition Acts of 1917 & 1918, pp. 85 - 86. o The Clear & Present Danger Tests, pp. 86 - 87. o The Doctrine of Incorporation, pp. 87 - 89. 0 More Speech, Not Less, pp. 89 – 90. o The Smith Act of 1940, pp. 90 – 91. o The Brandenburg “Imminent & Likely” Test, pp. 91 – 92. o The Strict Scrutiny,

MODULE 5: ACTIVITY: None.

MODULE 5: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 5 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 8, to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 9). o Complete Discussion 2 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, Feb. 9).

Intermediate Scrutiny & Rational Basis Tests, pp. 92 – 96. o Forum Analysis, pp. 96 – 98. o Unprotected Speech, p. 98. o Prior Restraint, pp. 98 – 113.

Week 6

Week of Feb. 12

MODULE 6: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 6, Libel o The Value of Reputation, pp. 115 – 117. o Elements of Defamation, pp. 117 – 124. o The New York Times Co. v. Sullivan & Public Officials, pp. 124 – 125. o The Impact of New York Times Co. v. Sullivan case, pp. 126 – 127. o Public Figures, pp. 127 – 128. o Limited-Purpose Public Figures, pp. 128 – 130. o Businesses as Public Figures, pp. 130 – 131. o Product Disparagement o Public Persons & the Passage of Time, pp. 131 – 132. o Defenses to Libel, pp. 132 – 142. o Defamation Flow Chart.

MODULE 6: ACTIVITY: o Libel Law Assessment Quiz (Student Press Law Center) (for review only - available anytime). o Cyberlaw Assessment Quiz (for review only - available anytime). o Libel Law Assessment Quiz (for review only - available anytime).

MODULE 6: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 6 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 15, to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 16). o Complete Discussion 3 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16). o Complete Term Project Outline & Summary (graded - submission deadline is 5 p.m., Friday, Feb. 16).

EXAM 1 - Available 8 a.m., Monday, Feb. 19, to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 20

Week 7

Week of Feb. 19

MODULE 7: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 7 - Invasion of Privacy o The Need to be Let Alone, pp. 143 - 144. o Sources of Privacy Law, pp. 144 - 147. o Contrasting Libel & Invasion of Privacy, p. 147. o The Growing Privacy Problem, pp. 147 - 165. o Privacy and the Internet, p. 165. o Infliction of Emotional Distress, pp. 166 – 168.

MODULE 7: ACTIVITY: o Privacy & Libel Law Assessment Quiz (for review only – available anytime) o Four Privacy Law Assessment Quizzes (for review only – available anytime) o Libel, Privacy & Newsgathering Quiz (for review only – available anytime)

MODULE 7: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 7 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, to 5 p.m. Friday, Feb. 23). o Complete Discussion 4 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, Feb. 23).

Online Media Law: The Basics for Bloggers and Other Publishers (free NewsU course, but you must register). Covers: - Defamation (another word for libel) - Copyright infringement - Invasion of privacy

Week 8

Week of Feb. 26

MODULE 8: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 8 – Open Records & Meetings o The Need for Information, pp. 169 - 171. o The Freedom of Information Act, pp. 171 - 173. o Internet Access to Information, pp. 173 – 174. o Using the Freedom of Information Act, pp. 174 – 176. o Freedom of Information Act Exemptions, pp. 176 - 178. o Freedom of Information Act Limitations, pp. 179 – 183.

MODULE 8: ACTIVITY: o Access Law Quiz (for review only - available anytime).

MODULE 8: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 8 of 14 (graded - available 8 a.m. Thursday, March 1, to 5 p.m. Friday, March 2). o Complete Discussion 5 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, March 2).

o Government in the Sunshine Act, pp. 183 – 184. o State Open Records & Open Meeting Laws, pp. 184 – 185. o Additional Problems of Information Access, pp. 185 – 186. o Suggestions for Getting Information, p. 187.

Week 9

Week of March 5

MODULE 9: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 9 - Protection of Sources o The Need to Protect Sources, pp. 189 - 191. o Failing to Keep a Promise o When Sources Sue, pp. 191 - 192. o Branzburg v. Hayes, pp. 192 - 194. o Other Sources of Protection, pp. 194 - 195. o Contempt and the Collateral Bar Rule, pp. 195 - 197. o Criminal Cases vs. Civil Cases, p. 197. o Telephone Records, pp. 197 – 198. o Anonymous Online Posts, pp. 198 – 199. o State Shield Laws, pp. 199 – 200. o Who is a Reporter? pp. 200 – 201. o Efforts to Pass a Federal Shield Law, p. 201. o Zurcher v. Stanford Daily, pp. 201 – 203. o The Privacy Protection Act, pp. 203 – 204. o Consider Alternatives, p. 204.

MODULE 9: ACTIVITY: o Reporter's Privilege Quiz (for review only – available anytime).

MODULE 9: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 9 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, March 8 to 5 p.m. Friday, March 9). o Complete Discussion 6 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, March 9).

Week 10

Week of March

12

MODULE 10: READ: The Oklahoma Open Meeting Act and the Oklahoma Open Records Act, both of which are linked from the weekly module page. Also read the state open meeting and open records resources listed on the linked page.

MODULE 10: o Oklahoma Open Meeting Act Update 2013.

MODULE 10: ASSESSMENT: No quiz or discussion.

SPRING BREAK: Saturday, March 17 to Sunday, March 25 EXAM 2 - Available 8 a.m. Monday, March 26 to 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 27

Week 11

Week of March

26

MODULE 11: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 10 – Free Press/Fair Trial. o When Constitutional Rights Collide, pp. 207 – 209. o Sheppard v. Maxwell, pp. 209 – 210. o Seating an Impartial Jury, pp. 210 – 215. o Restrictive Orders, pp. 215 – 217. o The Nebraska Press Association Test, p. 217. o Closed Courtrooms, pp. 217 – 220. o The Press-Enterprise Test, pp. 220 – 222. o Challenging Closure, pp. 222 – 223. o Assessing Court Records, pp. 223 – 225.

MODULE 11: ACTIVITY: o Interview with retired Justice Stephen Taylor: Background & Overview. o State District Court Criminal Trial of Terry Nichols: Interview with retired Justice Stephen Taylor (video).

MODULE 11: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 10 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, March 29, to 5 p.m. Friday, March 30). o Complete Discussion 7 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 30).

o Electronic Records, p.225. o Recording, Photographing and Televising Court Proceedings, pp. 225 – 227. o New Technologies in the Courtroom, p. 227. o Bench-Bar- Press Guidelines, pp. 227 – 228. o Eliminating Prejudicial Reporting, p. 228.

Week 12

Week of April 2

MODULE 12: READ: Hanebutt: Chapter 11 - Obscenity o Defining Sexual Expression, pp. 229 - 231. o The Problem with Obscenity, pp. p. 231. o Early Regulation of Sexual Expression, pp. pp. 231 - 233. o The Miller Test, pp. 233 - 236. o Variable Obscenity, pp. 236 – 237. o Child Pornography, pp. 237 – 238. o “Sexting,” p. 238. o Other Ways to Regulate Obscenity, pp. 239 – 244. o Broadcast Indecency, pp. 244 – 246.

MODULE 12: ACTIVITY: o Miller v. California Quiz (for review only – available anytime).

MODULE 12: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 11 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, April 5, to 5 p.m. Friday, April 6). o Complete Discussion 8 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 6).

o Cable Indecency, p. 246. o Violence, p. 247.

Classes preempted for National Conference for Undergraduate Research (NCUR): Thursday-Friday, April 5-6

Week 13

Week of April 9

MODULE 13: READ: Hanebutt, Chapter 12 – Intellectual Property o Protecting Creations of the Mind, pp. 249 - 250. o The Copyright Act of 1790, pp. 250 - 251. o Copyright Today, pp. 251 - 254. o Copyright and the Internet, pp. 255 - 256. o Copyright and Music, pp. 256 - 258. o Duration of Copyright, pp. 258 - 259. o Copyright Infringement, pp. 259 – 260. o Unfair Competition, p. 260. o The Fair Use Defense, pp. 260 – 263. o Other Defenses to Infringement, p. 263. o Trademarks, pp. 264 – 265. o Duration of Trademark Protection, pp. 265 – 266. o Marks of Distinction, pp.

MODULE 13: ACTIVITY: o Two Copyright Law Quizzes (for review only – available anytime)

MODULE 13: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 12 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, April 12, to 5 p.m. Friday, April 13). o Complete Copyright Discussion 9 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 13).

Copyright Law and Fair Use for Journalists (free NewsU course, but you must register).

266 – 268. o Patents, p. 268.

Week 14

Week of April 16

MODULE 14: READ: Hanebutt: Chapter 13 – Advertising and Commercial Speech o The Evolution of Commercial Speech Protection, pp. 269 - 270. o Government Regulation of Advertising, pp. 270 - 272. o The Commercial Speech Doctrine, pp. 272 - 274. o Corporations and Noncommercial Speech, pp. 274 - 275. o Media Access, pp. 275 - 276. o The Far Reach of the Federal Trade Commission, pp. 276 - 278. o FTC Methods to Stop False Advertising, pp. 278 – 280. o Other Advertising Concerns, pp. 280 – 282. o Advertiser Liability and Defenses Against False Advertising Claims, p. 282. o Other Federal Agencies That Regulate Advertising, pp. 282 – 284. o The Lanham

MODULE 14: ACTIVITY: o Advertising Law Quiz (for review only – available anytime).

MODULE 14: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 13 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, April 19, to 5 p.m. Friday, April 20). o Complete Discussion 10 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 20).

o Term Project deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 20.

Act, pp. 284 – 285. o Self- regulation, p. 285.

Week 15

Week of April 23

MODULE 15: READ: Hanebutt: Chapter 14 – Broadcasting and the Internet o The Development of Radio, pp. 287 - 288. o First Amendment Concerns, p. 289. o The Federal Communication Commission, pp. 289 - 291. o Licensing, pp. 291 - 292. o The Effects of Deregulation, pp. 292 - 293. o Broadcast Station Ownership, pp. 293 - 294. o The Fairness Doctrine, pp. 294 - 295. o Political Attack Rules and Political Editorial Rules, p. 295. o Broadcast Ascertainment Rules, pp. 295 – 296. o The Equal Time Rule, pp. 296 – 297. o The Candidate Access Rule, p. 298. o Candidate Advertising, p. 298. o Children’s

MODULE 15: ACTIVITY: o Broadband Quiz (for review only – available anytime).

MODULE 15: ASSESSMENT: o Complete Quiz 14 of 14 (graded, two points per question - available 8 a.m. Thursday, April 26, to 5 p.m. Friday, April 27). o Complete Discussion 11 of 11 (graded - submission deadline is 11:59 p.m., Friday, April 27).

o The class, and all coursework, ends at 11:59 p.m. Friday, May 4.

Programming, pp. 298 – 299. o Indecency, pp. 300 – 301. o Violence on Television, p. 301. o The News, Hoaxes and Video News Releases, pp. 301 – 302. o Other Content Rules, p. 302. o Noncommercial Broadcasting, p. 303. o Cable Television, pp. 304 – 306. o Direct Broadcast Satellies, pp. 306 – 307. o Low Power Television, p. 307. o Satellite Radio, p. 307. o Low Power FM Radio, p. 308. o The Internet, pp. 308- 309.

April 30 – May 4

EXAM 3 Available from 8 a.m. Monday, April 30, to 11:59 p.m. Thursday, May 3