JOUR 3030 - Freedom of Speech and Press: Contemporary Issues

3 unit(s)

Examines selected issues in freedom of speech and press as embodied in communications law, the Bill of Rights, and the Constitution of the United States. Emphasis on the First and Fourteenth Amendments, to include understanding of clear and present danger, libel and slander, pornography, privacy, and public access to information. Considers functions of American legal system in resolving civil and criminal cases regarding communications.

Satisfies G.E. area UD-4.

Prerequisites: Junior standing or consent of instructor.

Course Learning Outcomes List
By the end of this course:

The student will demonstrate, in performance on an examination and position paper, his/her degree of comprehension of the customary means by which courts assure fair trials, and areas where a special privilege may be provided the journalist;
The student will provide evidence her/his understanding, through an oral case report and written report, of: the legal requirements for attaining copyright or trademark protection, licensing, how infringements arise, the possible remedies for infringements, fair usage, and the application of unfair competition laws;
The student will show his/her ability, through a written examination and case study paper, to identify the rules: which compel the release of financial data, the limitations and rights that apply to corporate participation in candidate elections, ballot measures, and debates on public issues; as well as, any restrictions on government agencies and employees to speak out on political matters;
The student will be able to express in discussions and responses to essay questions, her/his discernment of the protections afforded commercial speech, which laws provide for criminal penalties against advertisers, and the basic rules concerning media refusal of advertising;
The student will identify and describe, in a written and oral report, the process and criteria by which: broadcast stations are licensed and re-licensed, cable TV companies are awarded local franchises, and how the Federal Communication Commission regulates owners and content;
The student will know how the Supreme Court defines obscenity, how print and broadcast media are treated in the regulation of indecent language and depiction, and the means by which local, state, and federal governments attempt to control sexually explicit material. Both a written essay and examination will be used for assessment; and
The student will understand the legal grounds for jurisdiction and the rules applied to the Internet and cyberspace communicators; and, show her/his level of comprehension by responses on written examination questions.

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