The First Amendment and Mass Communications: The First Amendment in Perspective; Defamation and Mass Communications; Privacy and the Mass Media; Restraint of Obscene Expression; Restraint of the Press for Purpose of National Security; Free Press vs. Fair Trial; Freedom to Gather News and Information; Newspersons' Privilege, Subpoenas, Contempt Citations and Searches and Seizures; Regulation of Commercial Speech; Regulation of the Electronic Mass Media: The FCC - What It Does and Does Not Do; FCC Control of Broadcast Operations; Cable and New Technologies.

Expert authors discuss the First Amendment in detail, as well as defamation and mass communication. Includes a completely new chapter on Internet law, covering issues such as indecency, Web sites with bomb recipes, defamation and anonymous postings, blocking cookies, encryption, spamming, copyright infringement, domain names and convergence. Further highlights include recent Supreme Court rulings on "ride-along" cases, nude dancing, and commercial speech, covering issues such as banning advertising for lawful but harmful products such as tobacco. There is also an expanded discussion of journalists' access to courtroom proceeding and judicial documents.

"This is the best all-around media law text for undergraduate and graduate students alike. The clear, nonthreatening writing style of the authors, by itself, sets this book apart. And yet, it does so by not leaving out any important areas of inquiry. That’s why my colleagues and I continue to adopt this for all of our media law classes." —Jonathan Kotler, University of Southern California In The Law of Journalism and Mass Communication, authors Susan Dente Ross, Amy Reynolds, and Robert Trager present a lively, up-to-date, and comprehensive introduction to media law that brings the law to life for future professional communicators. The book is grounded in the traditions and rules of law but also contains fresh facts and relevant examples that keep readers engaged. Tightly focused breakout boxes highlight contemporary examples of the law in action or emphasize central points of law as well as intersections with international law and policy. The thoroughly updated Seventh Edition contains a wealth of new content that is as timely as possible—from the U.S. Supreme Court, federal and state courts, Congress, executive agencies, federal and state policymakers and advisory groups, and media organizations and allies. A refreshed look, feel, and flow of chapters provide readers an understanding of fast-expanding areas of the law and legal complexities.

"Mass Communication Law in a Nutshell satisfies the need for a basic text in communication law, not only for law students but for journalism and communication students as well. Highlights of the Eighth Edition of the popular book include a discussion of Hulk Hogan's successful lawsuit against Gawker for public disclosure of private facts, the right to be forgotten (or "erased") in Europe, and numerous social media issues, including cyberstalking, catfishing, trolling, doxing, swatting, posting threats on Facebook and access to President Trump's tweets. Further highlights include the USA FREEDOM Act, the Supreme Court's expansion of exemption 4 of FOIA, First Amendment limits on denials of trademark registration, the Broadcast Spectrum Auction, and the continuing battle over net neutrality."--publisher.

A unique learning tool for students in journalism and mass communication, A Student's Guide to Mass Communication Law is written for students by a top student. Amber Nieto and her professor John F. Schmitt--who also brings his experience as a lawyer and a journalist--have created an easy-to-read study guide to be used alongside any main textbook on media law or communication law. An outline format allows for quick reference and for instructors to choose material useful to their courses. Including a glossary and the text of the U.S. Constitution, this concise guide covers key areas such as free speech, freedom of the press, censorship, the student press, defamation and libel, privacy, intellectual property, fair trial issues, shield laws, freedom of information, obscenity, electronic media regulation, media ownership, and advertising. A Student's Guide helps students understand textbook material and serves as an ongoing refresher course on the basics of mass communication law and media law.

This attractive new text highlights the cutting edge policy issues raised as the law and new communication technologies intersect. The authoritative author team provides a good balance of expertise, clear explanations, emphasis on terminology and case problems. The text features include summaries and outlines of all material, marginal definition of key concepts, photographs and graphics, bibliographies (end notes), questions and answers. Written especially for undergraduates, the text provides a readable summary of the basic law and policy issues in mass communications law.

Digital media law is now the dynamic legal territory. Mass Media Law: The Printing Press to the Internet is a textbook designed to introduce students to the panoply of legal theories raised by the Internet revolution as well as those supporting traditional media. The book takes a historical approach beginning with the printing press and the telegraph and proceeding to the digital technologies of today, such as social media and search engines. Concepts such as defamation, broadcast regulation, privacy, and free expression are covered along with new media legal theories including Internet exceptionalism, cyber libertarianism, and digital speech and democratic culture. These are introduced to explain why traditional theories such as First Amendment medium-specific analysis, common carriage, and network neutrality are just as relevant today as they were in the early twentieth century. In order to help readers develop critical reasoning skills, each chapter opens with a highly readable realworld vignette and goes on to identify and explain legal doctrines and tests. Key passages from court opinions are highlighted, and each chapter closes with a list of online media law resources and thought-provoking questions, including legal hypotheticals, to give readers a solid understanding of the area in question. Mass Media Law is designed to be the main text and a valuable resource for undergraduate and graduate courses covering media, mass communication, free expression, and journalism law.