Chart of Assignments
Mass Media Law, Spring 2013
Eric E. Johnson, Texas Tech Law
Wednesday-Thursday-Friday, 2:00-2:50 p.m.
Room 109 (Wednesday), Room 106 (Thursday & Friday)

Updated as of: April 26, 2013

→ Jump ahead to: List of all assignments by topic

Day by Day
Week No 1
THURSDAY January 10 No 1
AP Stylebook: Foreword & pp. 460-462 (actuality to wrap)
FRIDAY January 11 No 2
AP Stylebook: pp. 463-465
Week No 2
WEDNESDAY January 16 No 3
No reading
THURSDAY January 17 No 4
AP Stylebook: p. 486 (last page) (About the AP)
Do exercise for in-class discussion: Copyediting: Punctuation
FRIDAY January 18 No 5
AP Stylebook: pp. 307-320 (The Associated Press Statement of News Values and Principles)
Week No 3
WEDNESDAY January 23 No 6
THURSDAY January 24 No 7
FRIDAY January 25 No 8
No reading
Week No 4
WEDNESDAY January 30 No 9
Do exercise for in-class discussion: Copyediting: Style
THURSDAY January 31 No 10
AP Stylebook: pp. 321-327 (Introductory matter and Access to Government Information, partial)
Turn in exercise by e-mail: Newspaper Writing
FRIDAY February 1 No 11
AP Stylebook: pp. 327-329 (Access to government information, continued)
Week No 5
WEDNESDAY February 6 No 12
THURSDAY February 7 No 13
FRIDAY February 8 No 14
AP Stylebook: pp. 457-459 (Broadcast Guidelines)
Week No 6
WEDNESDAY February 13 No 15
E-mail me by noon what documents you think you would like to get from the federal government through FOIA.
THURSDAY February 14 No 16
FRIDAY February 15 No 17
Week No 7
WEDNESDAY February 20 No 18
No reading
THURSDAY February 21 No 19
FRIDAY February 22
No class meeting this day
Week No 8
WEDNESDAY February 27 No 20
AP Stylebook: pp. 330-331 (• A promise ...)
THURSDAY February 28 No 21
AP Stylebook: pp. 331-332 (• Reporter's privilege)
FRIDAY March 1 No 22
AP Stylebook: pp. 332-333 (• Policies and practices for handling subpoenas)
Week No 9
WEDNESDAY March 6 No 23
AP Stylebook: pp. 333-337 (begin at • Liability for newsgathering conduct; skip • Electronic Eavesdropping and • Special Considerations When Dealing with National Security Issues)
THURSDAY March 7 No 24
AP Stylebook: pp. 336-337 (• Electronic Eavesdropping)
FRIDAY March 8 No 25
Re-review notes and readings from semester to this point
Spring Break
WEDNESDAY March 13
No class – spring break
THURSDAY March 14
No class – spring break
FRIDAY March 15
No class – spring break
Week No 10
WEDNESDAY March 20 No 26
Re-review AP Stylebook: pp. 325-326 (• A word about gag orders and • Media protocols in high-profile cases)
THURSDAY March 21
No class meeting this day
FRIDAY March 22
No class meeting this day
Week No 11
Exercise Due: MONDAY March 25
FOIA Letter Instructions [pdf]
WEDNESDAY March 27 No 27
AP Stylebook: pp. 338-355 (stop aton 355)
THURSDAY March 28 No 28
FRIDAY March 29 No 29
Week No 12
WEDNESDAY April 3 No 32
THURSDAY April 4 No 33
No new reading. Re-review AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law regarding defamation as desired.
FRIDAY April 5 No 34
No new reading. Re-review AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law regarding defamation as desired.
Week No 13
WEDNESDAY April 10 No 35
No new reading. Re-review AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law regarding defamation as desired.
THURSDAY April 11 No 36
AP Stylebook: pp. 355-358 (start at • Invasion of privacy; stop before • Misappropriation on 358)
FRIDAY April 12 No 37
AP Stylebook: pp. 359-361 (start at Copyright infringement)
Week No 14
WEDNESDAY April 17 No 38
THURSDAY April 18 No 39
AP Stylebook: pp. 358 (only • Misappropriation)
FRIDAY April 19 No 40
FRIDAY April 19 No 41
Special session: 3:00-3:50 p.m. in Room 106
No new reading.
Week No 15
WEDNESDAY April 24 No 42
No reading
THURSDAY April 25 No 43
AP Stylebook: pp. 358-359 (only • Publishing on the Internet and Social Media and • Material Posted To Your Site(s) by Others)
FRIDAY April 26 No 44
AP Stylebook: pp. 337 (only • Special Considerations When Dealing with National Security Issues)
FRIDAY April 26 No 45
Special session: 3:00-3:50 p.m. in Room 106
No reading.
Item by item
Module 1: Television and Radio
AP Stylebook: Foreword & pp. 460-462 (actuality to wrap)
Module 2: Newspapers and Magazines
AP Stylebook: pp. 463-465 (Photo Captions)
Module 3: Internet
No reading
Module 4: The Business of News
AP Stylebook: p. 486 (last page) (About the AP)
Module 5: Journalistic Ethics
AP Stylebook: pp. 307-320 (The Associated Press Statement of News Values and Principles)
Module 6: Theory and History of Media Freedom
Module 7: First Amendment Analytical Structure
No reading
Module 8: First Amendment Rights of Access
AP Stylebook: pp. 321-327 (Introductory matter and Access to Government Information, partial)
Module 9: Statutory Rights of Access
AP Stylebook: pp. 327-329 (Access to government information, continued)
Module 10: First Amendment and Incitement
Module 11: First Amendment Limits on Injunctions and Prior Restraints
Module 12: First Amendment Limits on Taxation
Module 13: First Amendment, Questions of Medium, and Access to Media
Module 14: Regulation of Broadcasting
Module 15: Regulation of Commercial Speech and Advertising
Module 16: Enforceability of Promises to Sources
AP Stylebook: pp. 330-331 (• A promise ...)
Module 17: Reporter’s Privilege
AP Stylebook: pp. 331-332 (• Reporter's privilege)
Module 18: Subpoenas and Newsroom Searches
AP Stylebook: pp. 332-333 (• Policies and practices for handling subpoenas)
Module 19: Tort Liability in Newsgathering
AP Stylebook: pp. 333-337 (begin at • Liability for newsgathering conduct; skip • Electronic Eavesdropping and • Special Considerations When Dealing with National Security Issues)
Module 20: Eavesdropping, Wiretapping, and Long-Lens Laws
AP Stylebook: pp. 336-337 (• Electronic Eavesdropping)
Module 21: Gag Orders and Fair Trials
Re-review AP Stylebook: pp. 325-326 (• A word about gag orders and • Media protocols in high-profile cases)
Module 22: Defamation: Overview
AP Stylebook: pp. 338-355 (stop aton 355)
Module 23: Defamation: First Amendment Analysis
Additionally, you may refer to AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law §5 through through • Who is who? on 343-349.
Module 24: Defamation: Defamatory Meaning
No new reading. You may refer to AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law §1 on 340-341.
Module 25: Defamation: Of and Concerning the Plaintiff
No new reading. You may refer to AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law §4 on 343-344.
Module 26: Defamation: Slander Per Se, Libel Per Quod, Libel Per Se
No reading.
Module 27: Defamation: Falsity
No new reading. You may refer to AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law §2 & §3 on 341-343.
Module 28: Defamation: Privileges
No new reading. You may refer to AP Stylebook Briefing on Media Law • Defenses commonly available to news organizations on 349-352.
Module 29: False Light, Disclosure, and Outrage Torts
AP Stylebook: pp. 355-358 (start at • Invasion of privacy; stop before • Misappropriation on 358)
Module 30: Copyright: Overview
AP Stylebook: pp. 359-361 (start at Copyright infringement)
Module 31: Copyright: Idea/Expression Distinction
You may additionally re-review AP Stylebook • Limitations on Copyright on 360 re facts and ideas.
Module 32: Copyright: Fair Use
You may additionally re-review AP Stylebook • Limitations on Copyright on 360-361 re fair use.
Module 33: Publicity Rights, Appropriation, and Misappropriation Torts
AP Stylebook: pp. 358 (only • Misappropriation)
Module 34: Procedural Law
Module 36: Paparazzi and Gossip Rags
No reading
Module 37: Wikileaks and Contemporary National Security Issues
AP Stylebook: pp. 337 (only • Special Considerations When Dealing with National Security Issues)
Module 38: Blogging
No reading
Module 39: Journalists and Social Media
AP Stylebook: pp. 358-359 (only • Publishing on the Internet and Social Media and • Material Posted To Your Site(s) by Others)
Unit 1: Copyediting: Punctuation
Unit 2: Copyediting: Style
Unit 3: Newspaper Writing
In-class exercise
Unit 4: Broadcast Writing
In-class exercise
Unit 5: FOIA Letter


Copyright 2013 Eric E. Johnson. Konomark - Most rights sharable.