COM 302 — Media Law

Professor: Dr. Scott Sochay

Department of Communication Studies

Office: HC 327F

Spring Semester, 2024

Office Hours - MWF 9-10 am, TH 8-9 am and by appt.

Location: HC122

Time: T, H 12:15 - 1:30 pm

Office Phone: 638-6199

PO Box 51

Home Phone: (517) 648-7759

homepage: www.bethel.edu/~socsco

email: scott-sochay@bethel.edu Prerequisites: none

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Required Text:

Calvert, Clay et al (2023). Mass Media Law (22nd Edition), NY: McGraw-Hill.

Sochay, Scott (2011). Mass Communications Law, BarCharts, Inc.

Course Objectives:

The purpose of this course is to introduce students to the major legal, ethical and policy issues related to the mass media. This will be done by exposing students to primary documents and cases as well as to methods of analysis. Upon completion, students should be able to explain in broad context, existing media law and policy and be able to critique and analyze future laws and policies. Students should also be able to articulate the ethical issues that are relevant to media conduct.

COVID Notes:

Based on guidance from Bethel University, if you experience specific COVID-19 symptoms, you should notify me, not attend class in person, and get tested no matter your vaccination status. 


If you need to quarantine or isolate due to COVID-19 exposure or illness, I will work with you to continue your learning when you are well enough to do so. How you continue to learn may be different in this class than it is in your other classes.


Anyone who is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, has tested positive for COVID-19, or is unvaccinated and has been in close contact (within six feet for 15 minutes or more throughout a 24-hour period—with or without a mask) with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, should call the COVID-19 Hotline at 651.635.8500.

Zoom will only be for students who quarantine/isolate due to COVID-19. Zoom will not be available for any other circumstances unless approved.

 

Grading and Expectations:

Participation is important and is part of your grade. Students are expected to have read the required chapters for each class session and be prepared to discuss its contents. A lack of preparation not only hurts your grade it also takes away from the quality of the in-class discussion and makes the learning experience less enjoyable for your classmates. Attendance is also a part of your participation grade. Excessive absences and/or tardiness will be reflected in that generally, three or more unexcused absences will result in a minimum one grade lower participation grade. The University policy on attendance can be found in the Bethel catalog.

Projects are due at the beginning of the class period noted in the course outline. Late projects or missed exams will not be accepted without a legitimate excuse such as medical illness or emergency. If you have a situation that may present difficulties in turning a project in on time or making an exam date the proper procedure is to discuss this with me before the due date. I'm flexible and understanding when students talk with me before an assignment or exam is due. I'm much less flexible if a student tries to explain their situation after the due date has passed. In short, if you think you're going to have a problem turning in an assignment on time, talk with me before the due date. The same also applies to attendance. Excused absences are at my discretion. I am far more likely to grant them when students let me know ahead of time (when possible) or contact me as soon as possible after the missed class.

Any/all assignments should be submitted in hard copy form. Any exceptions to this will be announced in class.

Student work will be evaluated according to the guidelines laid out in the Bethel University catalog. To receive an "A," work should be "exceptional". "B" work is considered "good," and "C" "work "satisfactory" and so on. If you have any questions about assignments, ask! If there are concerns about grading, the Complaint and Appeals Procedure can be found at: http://cas.bethel.edu/academics/catalog/.

Violation of honesty standards can result in denial or credit (U or F) in a course, as well as dismissal from the university. Penalties are given at the discretion of the faculty member, and offenders may be referred to the vice president and dean. (See Bethel University’s full policy on Academic Honesty in the catalog: (http://catalog.bethel.edu/arts-sciences/general-information/academic-honesty/).

The student will seek to resolve the matter first with the instructor or with the party directly responsible for the decision, and then with the department chair. (If the instructor is the department chair, the student should contact the Dean of Academic Programs.) If after talking with the instructor and the department chair the matter is not resolved, the student may appeal in writing to the Dean of Academic Programs. This written appeal must be received within three weeks of the decision. (See Bethel University’s full policy on Academic Appeals in the catalog: http://catalog.bethel.edu/arts-sciences/general-information/academic-appeals/).

Accessibility Statement:

Bethel University is committed to accessibility for students with disabilities and the Office of Accessibility Resources & Services (OARS) is a resource to ensure students experience access. Reasonable accommodations are approved after an interactive process with the student and OARS. The instructor will provide accommodations, but the student is required to initiate the process.

Support for Multilingual Learners Statement:

Points will be awarded for the course as follows:

Take Home Exam 75 points
Case Presentation 40 points
Team Case 50 points
Term Paper 60 points
Attendance/Participation 25 points
Total 250 points

 

Links to handouts:

Assignments

Briefing

Case

Final grades will be based on the cumulative number of points earned on the assignments noted above. Accumulated points will be divided by the total points available (250) to arrive at a percentage for the course. Grades will be assigned based on the following scale:

A

= 93-100%

C+

= 77-79

A-

= 90-92

C

= 73-76

B+

= 87-89

C-

= 70-72

B

= 83-86

D+

= 67-69

B-

= 80-82

D

= 60-66

   

F

= below 60

       

 

 

Tentative Course Outline and Assignments:

Date Topic Assignments
2/1 Introduction Miller Pixar video
2/6 Ch. 1 Case brief choices due/ Miller-Pixar choices due
2/8 Ch. 1  
2/13 Ch. 1  
2/15 Ch. 2 Zenith brief due
2/20 Ch. 2 Term paper topics due
2/22 Ch. 2  
2/27 Ch. 3 Red Lion, Miami Herald Case brief presentations start
2/29 Ch. 3 NYT/WP, Hazelwood  
3/5 Ch. 3 RAV, Sullivan

 

3/7 Ch. 3 Florida Star Link to Case Presentations
3/12-14 SPRING BREAK Links to media resources
3/19 Ch. 4-6 Link to Law.com dictionary
3/21 Ch. 4-6

Links to Intercity Radio, Zenith

3/26 Ch. 4-6 Take Home Exam assigned
3/28 Ch. 4-6  
4/2 Ch. 7-8  
4/4 Ch. 7-8 Take Home Exam due
4/9 Ch. 7-8  
4/11 Ch. 9  
4/16 Ch. 9  
4/18 Ch. 10  
4/23 Ch. 10  
4/25 Ch. 14 Research paper due (6-8 pages)
4/30 Ch. 14  
5/2 Ch. 14  
5/7 Ch. 14  
5/9 Ch. 14  
5/14 work on Miller - Pixar case  
5/16 Miller - Pixar case Opening Statements due
   
5/21  Miller - Pixar case 8:15-10:15, rebuttals due and closing
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
  Miller Pixar CC  
     
     
     

 

 

Lecture Notes

Justices of the Supreme Court

Case Briefs

Chapter 1 notes

Chapter 2 notes

Chapter 3 notes

Chapter 4-6 notes

Chapter 7-8 notes

Chapter 9 notes

Chapter 10 notes

Chapter 11-12 notes

Chapter 13 notes

Chapter 14 notes

Chapter 15 notes

Chapter 16 notes

 

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