An Introduction to Media Law and Ethics

An Introduction to Media Law and Ethics equips future journalists with a fundamental foundation of legal knowledge while underscoring the importance of journalism in preserving a democratic society.

During the course of 15 chapters, students learn about the ethical tenets of journalism and the character and courage needed to pursue them in an increasingly litigious world. The book explains the legalities of defamation and invasion of privacy; the law and ethics of visual storytelling, specifically photojournalism and videography; and clarifies common copyright infringement issues. Additional chapters summarize and illustrate relevant laws impacting the internet and social media, as well as newsgathering and how a "journalist" is defined nationwide. Individual chapters also describe media access to courtrooms, broadcast law, censorship, obscenity, free speech at schools, commercial speech, and fake news. Each chapter includes exercises, links to online resources, images, and charts to strengthen the learning experience.

An Introduction to Media Law and Ethics is an ideal resource for courses and programs in journalism, media, and law.