As we near the end of the semester, I hope that you can see that the
Media Law topics are highly relevant to current events and the world
around you.
When you consider the wide range of topics that we've discussed -- from
the value of free speech in a free, democratic society to libel,
privacy, intellectual property and other topics -- what did you find
most interesting?
Did any of the topics have extra relevance to you because of a personal
experience? Or, did any of the topics spark an interest in learning more
? Or, did any of the topics make you pause and reconsider something
that you thought you knew? Or, maybe there was a discussion in class
that you found intellectually stimulating?
You have wide latitude with this question. Just be sure to identify the
Media Law topic and address one of the questions above. Also, be sure
you provide some context and explanation.
As always, be sure to include your first name, last name initial and your class (TTh, Honors or Online).
139 comments:
Lauren F Online
I found many topics extremely interesting. I learned so many things that I had no clue about until this semester. Some things were as small as the legal rights behind "Happy Birthday," or how much controversy was caused when Aqua released the song Barbie Girl. But over all I feel like I learned the importance of Free Speech- what it really is. Can you burn the flag or protest at a funeral? And I even got to understand how fast something can turn against you, learning how important it is to pay attention to detail in the communication world. I wouldn't say law is my niche but it is really nice to gain a better understanding of it for when I need to know these things in the future. I know that day will eventually come.
Honors
For me, all were interesting, and maybe even more than other people in this course. As a journalist, I have worked in several countries and the fact that how each country handles each of these topics always fascinates me. I think among all these topics free speech is the most debatable one. The United States Constitution calls it the essential of a free society, but as we have seen in reviewing few cases, and adding many other lawsuits out there, the constitution is not enough, it can never be sufficient to protect the rights of society.
Plato names his ideal democratic society Utopia, which is considered a perfect society filled with intelligent people and "practical political system suitable for imperfect men such as ourselves." History shows that, in the real world, Plato was wrong. He had to run away from the government because of his outspoken attitude, and despite Plato’s desire to make the Utopia real, it never happened.
The United States Constitution is designed for Utopia style city, like any other countries'. The highly politically motivated officials, corruptions, and biases resulted from extreme capitalism have its own definition of freedom of speech.
Yes, few cases in the Supreme Court won and they sounded like a huge victory, but compared to thousands of others that were shut down before even to be heard these wins sound more like a lollipop for a child who had lost his amazing poppy.
Yes, let’s say it is still better than some other countries, maybe, but this means any society in the world has only three options: Bad, Worse and Worst.
During this course and living in the United States for almost five years, I have learned that America does not struggle with laws, or government it is struggling with the education system and especially intellectualism. Unfortunately, there has been a war against intellectualism in America, especially for the last 6-7 decades. The war has made the most valuable aspect of a human his/her bank account, the car he/she is driving, and Technology in this matter has helped a lot to make the entire society divided. Thus, the human value has turned to nothingness and paranoia has become the essence of the community. People who cannot respect each other and cannot try to understand each other and wrong doings creates piles of court cases, which has made the United States courts much busier than any other nation.
It is painful to see that numerous people, due to their selfishness and paranoia, aim to destroy or disrespect some others.
Brooke C
Online
Can't believe it is already the end of the semester and our Media Law class is almost to an end. It has been fun! I have loved the many different topics we have gone over I especially liked learning how Disney purchased Star Wars rights I didn't know that. I also thought the "Happy Birthday" legal rights were really interesting and again it was something I had no idea about until this class. Now looking at it it makes sense that restaurants have their own birthday song in order not to have to spend money on royalty fees. I am glad that I now have a better understanding about free speech, legal rights and much more that will help me in everyday situations that come across because of what we learned in this class.
Lisa C.
T/TH 12:30pm
Are you daring me to pick just one? If I absolutely had to, I think the intellectual property topics are most relevant to me. I worked at a custom apparel shop a few years ago and dealt with lots of customers who wanted their own special version of a trademarked image or name; sports teams, Mickey Mouse, Marvel characters, you name it. It's crazy that the average person has either a) no knowledge of IP law or b) no respect for it. I think it's something that everyone should have a basic knowledge of.
IP laws are at the forefront of public debate right now due to how technology has made sharing so easy. Being an advertising major, I'm especially interested in how brands navigate this new landscape. Not only do brands still have to deal with other brands ripping off their ideas, but now they have to decide when user-generated content crosses that line (Hey Shia LaBeouf, was your viral "just do it" video secretly an ad for Nike, or were you committing trademark infringement?).
I can shamelessly say I'm going to be keeping all my notes from this course and looking back on them as I move forward in my career. Thank you crafting this course to be relevant, engaging and rewarding :)
Toni M (TR Honours)
I absolutely loved taking this class. I knew I loved constitutional law, but this really cemented my appreciation for the ins and outs of constitutional interpretation and the politics of freedom.
One of my favourite cases, out of all these interesting options, has probably been Snyder v Phelps. I loved the in-class debate we had after reading the opinions. It was really challenging to get past my personal views as a queer person and recognise that everyone (no matter how bigoted or disruptive they may seem to me) has just the same right to free speech as I do. That's the thing about the United States-- no matter how many people hate you and what you're saying or printing, you almost always have the right to do so. People will get angry, but it's your right as an American to be pretty much as much of a jerk as you want without punishment.
Something I learned a great deal about was student rights. I was heavily involved in the Latin club at my high school, and students still text me about what they can do about a teacher that they feel is violating their right to learn in a non-threatening classroom environment. Seeing the oral arguments for Wendee Long's case really helped me to give them an answer when they asked if they could record their teacher's rants. I don't claim to be any kind of legal expert, but I know that in general, if you're a student, there's not a great deal you can do about a teacher or an administrator, even writing a rap song about them.
I'm excited to follow the Supreme Court and its decisions more closely now that I understand more of the legal jargon that we read in the opinions, and hold out the hope that poor Merrick Garland is given a hearing and not stuck in the middle of politics.
Thanks for the awesome class (and all the knowledge)!
{ Naomi Faltin TTh Honors }
I found our day covering brief privacy expectations and laws very interesting. Although we didn't actually read the specific cases that involved privacy, I found this topic particularly sensitive and controversial. What surprised me the most was how undecided I felt about the issues. In such a stratified topic, I was surprised to find myself so sympathetic to both sides, and revealed how moderate I am about this topic. This was especially surprising because many of my peers are very opinionated and passionate about legislation concerning abortion and homosexual rights. It makes sense that I feel moderately because some of my closest friends lean very liberal in politics and I have had personal connection and experience with lesbian friends/family, and yet many of my friends lean very conservative because I am highly involved in church groups as well.
When we discussed Snyder v. Phelps, the discussion of the case caused me to pause and reevaluate how I stood when it comes to free speech. This free speech scenario takes the Constitution to its limits as the vast majority of the public did not agree with the protestors speech, or the context in which they protested. We know when we really are free speech advocates when the speech in question personally offends or upsets us, as it did for me in Snyder v. Phelps. I hated what they said, and how they said it. But in the title of our book, "Freedom for the Thought We Hate," this group still deserves the right to say it. In the end, I was able to say that I valued upholding the First Amendment principals, despite my severe aversion to the signs that Phelps held.
kelly D TTh 12:30
I think the most interesting subject that we discussed throughout the semester would be free speech because how broad it truly is from cross burning to "fuck the draft" to burning our country's symbol and even to a group of people getting to protest at someone else's funeral. On the flip side how narrow it got for minors who are in school and how much each principle can enforce upon them.
Up until this class I knew that you could burn a cross, but had no idea that the reason you can is as long as it doesn't cause eminent lawless action. I also thought up until this class it was completely illegal to burn an American flag due to the fact that it's our nations symbol and we should be taking pride in our country. Also I always wondered why middle schools and high schools could have such strict dress code rules and could ban a certain wrist band if they wanted to.
I think that this was the most interesting to me due to the fact that I truly did not feel like I knew anything about law nor about freedom of speech. I always knew we had freedom of speech and were aloud to do mostly as we please, but did not know how broad it really came down to and why. The same goes for just the basics of the legal system in general how I knew that it was there and there were cases each day, but I had no earthly idea how they operated or why they operated the way they did. Honestly the legal system confused the hell out of me.
So walking out of this class I really understand why it is important for students to take this class and quite frankly I feel like every student should take this class to better help them understand what rights we have and which ones we need to be really careful around.
I also cannot believe the semester is coming to an end, it's flown by! I thought all the topics we covered were relevant but privacy was one that stuck out extra vividly such as the Hulk Hogan v. Gawker case. Finding out about what actual malice was also very interesting such as how public figures must prove it. A case that sticks out to me was Hustler Magazine v. Falwell.
These topics all had extra relevance to me because it's something we other deal with everyday or hear/read about. Privacy is a big deal to me because I feel like there are limitations even if you are a celebrity and personally find some media outlets to push the limits too far. I guess you could say I like big judgments against such outlets like Gawker because I think it puts them in check...atleast for a little while. Hopefully TMZ and Perez Hilton pay close attention to this.
This is just a small portion of what I learned and found interesting, the content learned in this class is useful in applying not only to my career but life going forward.
Thanks for great semester Professor Martinez!
-Tyler Mahan (Online)
Taylor H. Online Class
Throughout the semester there were many topics that piqued my interest. But a few stood out the most to me. One was our conversations about video games and violence. Because I am a sociology minor, I have learned a lot about the effects of gaming on the population, and how there really are none. My last case brief was over a battle that including gaming so it was really interesting to read more into the law, and into what the justice in this case thought and how he made his decision.
Another great topic was libel. I enjoyed discussing the different celebrities and where there were libel in the forums. It was interesting to think that it really does effect a lot of public figures, and the effects can be life long or a heavy burden.
I have enjoyed this course, though it had been tough at times, it was so good to learn more about the media, and just the ins and outs of the laws. I feel very equipped and knowledgeable leaving this course. Thank you for your input and energy in this course. Have a great summer!
Emily B (TTH)
I found the entire unit of free speech incredibly interesting. I definitely thought I knew more than I did about the topic. I felt that this course reviewed a wide variety of cases that explain the First Amendment very well and in depth. I enjoyed looking at the cases from a different point of view, rather than simply based on what I believe, and actually learning and understanding why the court ruled the way it did in every single case. I thought this course was going to be extremely challenging, and I honestly didn't think I would like it very much, but I found that I really enjoy studying cases and I really enjoy looking at why the court rules the way they do in each individual, unique case. Thanks for a great semester!!
Krystal Tapson
Media Law and Ethics Online
I think the topic I found most interesting revolved around the topic of intellectual property. I find it fascinating because in the world of law suits and IP there are many regulations and loop wholes alike. I drew more interest to the topic because I have recently been watching Silicon Valley on HBO and my best friend is studying IP law.
TTh Class
I think what really sparked an interest when we were talking about freedom of speech, there's instances on campus where you hear people saying some really ridiculous things (my opinion) and others telling them that they can't say that and the person causing a ruckus, yells, "Yes I have freedom of speech." Usually the crowd yells that's not how you're supposed to use it.
But in reality, you can't tell people how to use freedom of speech (to an extent). I think people believe that freedom of speech only protects the nice things that come out of people's mouth but in reality it can protect the most ridiculous and uncalled for things but then again it all depends on your way of thinking.
Bethany Perales said ..
TTH class
I can't believe this semester is over already, this class was one of my favorite classes in my college career. I honestly couldn't pick one favorite thing about this class because I enjoyed learning about each case. I really was surprised in how much the first amendment could protect people.
When we talked about the burning flag cases I was surprised on how they could be protected because of freedom of expression. I think understanding that laws and the court don't make decisions because of feeling more on logic opened my eyes as well. Im going to miss this class a lot because I learned stuff that can be applied to everyday situations I know I will face in my career.
Rocio Malpartida –TTh 12:30
This class was the most interesting class I took this semester – even one of my most favorite classes overall, not only because of its relevancy in communications, but also because I truly felt that I learned a lot, and I found myself many times throughout the semester going back to thinking about our lessons and applying it in other classes. I know Prof. Martinez joked about us having conversations like, “well, I learned in my media class that…” but I actually did find myself saying that in a couple of conversations. I was born and raised in Peru, so I am still learning areas of American history that tied with this class, and a lot of decisions that we make today as a country made a lot more sense to me.
The lectures I enjoyed the most were libel and privacy law. I think they were the most interesting because the cases we studied that are related to those chapters shaped media as it is today, so it gives me a better perspective about what can and can’t be done. At the same time, I feel like I can be more critical about the content I read, or watch through any media outlet.
I am going to take away a lot from this class, but the three things I will always remember is that free speech is everything, the answer is always Sullivan, and “allegedly” isn’t a magic word. Thank you for a great semester!
My favorite topic that we discussed in class this semester. I did not know too much about libel or how dangerous it can be too someone in the journalism profession. I am a lifestyle reporter for the University Star and write on my own personal blog. When quoting people or talking about people it is important to make sure that what you are saying can be proven. I knew a little about libel but know I know so much more.
Out of all the topics we've discussed, I have to say the one topic that I liked the most was free speech. From all the court cases that dealt with (for example in the beginning of the semester, the two cases that dealt with free speech or hate words) the problem versus the different holdings based on the circumstances of the case, it is interesting to know that any little thing can make any statement free speech protected or not. I've learned that one has to be careful how and where you say what you say. Not everything can be considered free speech.
Out of all the topics we discussed this semester, the one I found most interesting was that of students' rights to free speech on public school campuses. I was especially interested in the Taylor Bell case, as it was a tough case to consider, seeing as both the school and Bell had reasonable points in believing their actions were constitutional (though I sided more with the school). This case and others helped me to realize that students' rights to free speech are different from those of adults', in a way, and that schools often have the right to train and protect their students, even when that right seems to contradict the idea of free speech.
Erica G (T/Th 12:30)
I can honestly say this is the only class I had this semester that I actually feel like I learned something! And at times felt like, maybe I can be a lawyer instead of pursuing a career in advertising. ;)
On a serious note, it's very hard to choose just one topic. I found most of the cases we studied very interesting. I really enjoyed seeing how the laws changed over time. I also felt that prior to this class I thought I knew more about the first amendment, until the flag burning cases brought up the discussion of freedom of expression and how flag burning is protected. That surprised me.
I also found the emotional distress and physical harm cases quite interesting. Specifically, the Sanders v. Acclaim Entertainment, Inc case because I thought I already knew a lot about the Columbine shooting but didn't know there was a lawsuit blaming video games/movies for the shooters' behavior.
Putting my multiple all nighters aside studying for the exams, I found this course really interesting and feel that I learned a lot.
Thanks for a great LAST semester!
ADIOS TEXAS STATE-- CLASS OF 2016!!
Michael M
TTh
I don't think it was one specific case that really intrigued me the most. It was the concept of "the sources of law." While there are many different sources of law (constitutions, statutes, equity law, common law, administrative law, executive orders), all the different sources that we get our law from still come from one source: The Constitution. When any court makes a decision, they are attempting to interpret how Constitutional language applies to the situation, centuries later! My Uncle is one of the smartest people I have ever met in my life. He carries a copy of the Constitution around with him and keeps one framed in his office. He says that, besides the Bible, it's the most perfectly written document in the history of the world. It was kind of cool to see this manifested through the different court cases and torts that came up in class, as they all attempted to apply the Constitution to situations that the founding fathers never could have predicted.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this class. While it was probably my hardest class this semester, and sometimes I dreaded doing the studying, I still enjoyed it and found every day interesting. Great class.
I was really excited to start the chapter on Copyright infringement. A friend of mine (Mary Rath) mentioned a lawsuit currently happening between my two favorite authors (Cassandra Clare and Sherrilyn Kenyon) over Copyright Infringement.
Apparently, Kenyon's Dark-Hunter series (published in the 90's) and Clare's Shadowhunter series (published in the early 2000's) are a little too close for comfort and Kenyon filled suit against Clare.
Having extensively read both authors (and with my Media Law know-how), I feel I can safely say this lawsuit has no foundation. The stories are uniquely their own.
I was excited to read the articles about this story because I understood almost all of what they're talking about. It feels good to know what's happening.
Emily Hernandez
Online
Out of all the mass communication classes I've taken, this one by far was the most knowledgable one. When I first started this course I thought it was going to be boring readings on court cases and learning about copyright laws, but to my surprise it was way more than that. I can't pin point exactly what got my attention the most, but I can certainly say I've learned a lot about media law. Just by analyzing what is covered by the first amendment was eye opening. What I'm really glad I got to learn about was writing a case brief. Being a writer, I know I will utilize this skill in some form in the future. With that being said, Im for sure keeping all my notes and maybe even the book!
Edward Evans
TTH 12:30
Throughout the semester we've discussed many different topics, and i can definitely say that this is a course that i can really use in the "real world." Each case that we've discussed can be related back to the current day and current issues. one topic in particular that stuck with me, (probably because it was discussed throughout the entire semester) was the interpretation of the First Amendment. It amazes me that even though we've had it for so long, it's still interpreted in many different ways by different people. Just about every case that we discussed was tied back to the first amendment in some type of way. Whether things are protected or fall right out of protection. That's something that i'm able to exercise everyday. Which i wouldn't be able to do without this course. So it sparked an interest in me to learn more because there's always people who try to throw the First Amendment in people's faces, but in actuality they are wrong. I guess i find it rewarding to have the ability to agree and justify or disagree and state why.
Virginia Brown
T/TH 12:30
I think the most interesting thing I will take away in this class is how many limits there are on free speech and how the value of free speech is so important in order to maintain a democratic society. Although there aren't many, there are more limits and restrictions on free speech than I thought there were before taking this class. Learning about these specific restrictions will no doubt benefit me for my upcoming career and will save me from making mistakes other journalists, or citizens in general have made in the past. Overall I found this class as a whole to be extremely intellectually stimulating and at times challenging. It was a great way to end what I hope to be the last semester of my educational journey and a positive start into the business world.
John S
T/TR 12:30
There are so many topics that I could talk about what we have learned in this course, but the one topic that has piqued my interest would be intellectual property law. It is crazy of how the first copyright law dates back to 1790 and protected others' works for 14 years until the Sonny Bono Copyright Term Extension extended copyrights. Being an advertising major, I have learned in my courses of how brands have to convey their messages to reach consumers and how to maintain brand equity. With trademark infringements, most brands can try to harm another brand's reputation by trying to steal ideas and these are why we have these laws in place to protect all brands.
I am glad that I had the chance to participate in this course and to have a better understanding of law and how it pertains to mass communication.
Tania Hagedorn
Online
The topic that impacted me the most this semester was the debate over 18 U.S.C. §, which was a statute Congress enacted to criminalize the commercial creation, sale, or possession of certain depictions of animal cruelty. In particular, this statute was intended to prevent “crush videos,” which feature the torture and killing of helpless animals for people with certain sexual fetishes. I did the case brief on the case U.S. v. Robert J. Stevens, who was appealing his conviction or the sale of dog fighting videos.
The government argued that “particular depictions are intrinsically related to criminal conduct or are analogous to obscenity (if not themselves obscene), and that the ban on such speech would satisfy the proper level of scrutiny.” The Supreme Court did not agree and in their opinion wrote, “While the prohibition of animal cruelty has a long history in American law, there is no evidence of a similar tradition prohibiting depictions of such cruelty.”
Tania H.
Online Class
The Supreme Court overturned the conviction holding that the statute was overly broad. However, I wonder why such depictions of animal cruelty were not considered obscene? The Court said, “Since its enactment, the First Amendment has permitted restrictions on a few historic categories of speech—including obscenity, defamation, fraud, incitement, and speech integral to criminal conduct…” “Depictions of animal cruelty should not be added to that list.”
I found this case quite disturbing and hopefully the Supreme Court upholds future laws against depictions of animal cruelty for sexual fetishes.
Meagan H. TTh
I thought all of the free speech topics were interesting. I've always heard "it's a free country, I can say what I want" growing up, and it's very interesting to see just how free we are. And also, to see where the line is, if there's a line at all!
I didn't always agree with the Supreme Courts rulings, but that's what makes this country great! We don't have to agree with what someone says, but we can still value what they say!
The Fuck the Draft case actually has relevance with my life. I was with my brother at a mall a few years ago and he was wearing a band's t-shirt that said "fuck you from Florida" on the back, and a police officer came up to him and asked him to take it off or turn it inside out, because "some people might find it offensive". At the time we complied, because we were young and didn't know any better, but now if it happens again I'll know a good argument for keeping the shirt on!
Online class
One of the topics that I found interesting was libel. I know we've all seen tabloids at the grocery store check-out, saying so and so are having marriage problems, someone gained 50 pounds, someone else is in rehab and other embarrassing claims. I always wondered how magazines were able to say all these things about celebrities when they were often humiliating or disrespectful. After learning about libel laws this semester, I understand it better. First of all, the magazines have a defense if what they published is true. It's also much harder for public figures to win libel cases because they have to be able to prove actual malice, which is usually difficult. With this knowledge, I reconsidered the headlines I saw on tabloids, and what a libel case might actually look like if a celebrity tried to proceed with one, and it seems like many of them wouldn't hold up.
Samantha Ciaramitaro Honors
I started this course with a rudimentary understanding of my First Amendment rights, and my understanding of the United States judicial system didn't stretch beyond Law and Order. I thoroughly enjoyed reading and discussing all the court cases since they were all such new territory for me. In regards to court cases that were granted certiorari, Snyder v. Phelps was my favorite. I knew about the Westboro Baptist Church, but didn't know they were involved in a Supreme Court ruling, let alone they had won. However, my favorite case would be Taylor Bell v. Itawamba County School Board because I not only had to research the case for the moot court, but had to defend the side that I didn't agree with. It was hard to remain objective throughout the process, and the harder I looked to find evidence to defend Taylor Bell, the less strongly I sided with the school board. I also enjoyed the case because it involved a lot of topics that were relevant to me like school safety, freedom of express on the internet, what is a true threat, etc. because I was heavily involved in media production in High School and was known for covering controversial topics in the broadcast. Although, my situation would've leaned more towards Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier, I could easily see myself being suspended for causing a disturbance.
Before beginning the class, I was under the impression we were going to be learning how laws shape media in terms of future careers in journalism, PR, advertisng, etc. I thought it would be focused on laws we needed to know if we went into publishing or something to that extent. In hindsight, I really had no idea.
I was pleasantly surprised to find that this class was so much more. I liked that we were talking about actual cases that not only affect media but also, many times, us personally in our daily lives.
My favorite topic was emotional distress and physical harm. From that, my two favorite cases were Hustler v. Falwell and Sanders v Acclaim entertainment. I've never been so entranced in a class during those discussions.
I found many of the topics we covered interesting. After taking this course I have come to realize that I knew next to nothing about the rules and regulations that are in place for journalists. After studying these guidelines I think the topic that will stick with me most is the way truth is handled in media. It was interesting to find out that laws can sometimes be bypassed if something is true and considered newsworthy. I was unaware of to what extent the media does acts as a 'watchdog' for our government.
Deborah B Media Law 12:30 TTh
I learned a lot from this course, but if I had to pick one topic that I thought I learned the most from it would be The Food Lion case. It reassured one thing I already knew, going undercover as a journalist using false identification is illegal, but the outcome of the case is what struck me the most. The court recognized that what the journalist from capital cities did was a service to the community and reduced the damages to just $2. This taught me that the court cared about the community and wanted to send a message that they were not going to stand for the reckless behavior of a large corporation. In my opinion, it was noble of the court to rule in this way and as a result made me feel more confident in the court as a whole.
Elizabeth Millner- MC 4301 TR 12:30
I found the lessons related to free speech very interesting. We come from a culture where everyone seems to be offended by what someone else says. Whether it be on social media or in person, we have to protect free speech even if it sometimes means hearing offensive things. I think after taking this class I am definitely more of a free speech advocate because if you take away even a small aspect of free speech it lessens that freedom altogether.
Jasmin C TTH
I really learned a lot from this course but I think some of the topics that I enjoyed talking about the most were the libel cases. It was interesting to hear the kind of things people sued for and what they did or did't actually say. To me the most interesting libel case was Masson V. New Yorker Magazine because it was funny that Masson was suing because he claims that he didn't really say things like he was an intellectual gigalo or that he was the greatest analyst of all time when he really did. Too bad they found the notebook that contained those quotes after the trials had already ended. The other topic that really interested me were the school cases. I went to a strict private Catholic high school so I could relate to these. We were told what we could and could not wear and there were times rules made for things that the administration didnt like the students doing.
Even though this was definitely my hardest class of the semester, I'm glad I can walk out of this course more knowledgeable about my First Amendment rights. Thanks for being such an awesome teacher.
Caleb Ritchie
Honors
This semester went by so quickly. There was a lot of material that I thought I was fully explained in high school government classes that we went into much more depth in this class. I really enjoyed the setup of the class, although some days the court cases seemed to take up every waking moment. Each topic related towards experiences I had in high school regarding free speech but mostly in the issues that dealt with defamation. With each case I learned how limited my understanding was of the first amendment so most of my curiosity peaked after the in class quizzes. Most of my curiosity stemmed from the country essays and how vast the freedoms of people from around the world are. I explored the history of American Samoa and was given a clearer idea of how stratified laws in media are around the country and the world.
Mary Tischler
Online
Holy Smokes this semester flew by! This and two classes were all I needed to wrap up my undergrad career at Texas State. I'm happy to have had the option to take this class online. It allowed me the flexibility and freedom I needed to have a full-time job as a publicist-ish and music manager for a few country music artists.
I learned so many things from this class. It never occurred to me just how broad the topic of free speech was. I found the portion of the course about intellectual property the most interesting.Managing people that are in the eye of the public I think it was really good for me to have a good working understanding of intellectual property and how it is protected under the law.
Kiely D. TTH 12:30
Being an advertising major, I find appropriation and libel to be the most interesting topics we discussed this semester. Before this class I had no idea the grave consequences that can potentially occur by creating or using images, songs, or logos to sell a message/ make it more relevant without the proper approval or any approval at all. Moving forward I will be more conscious of information and ideas used throughout my advertising career and question the quality or work created or used in order to avoid lawsuits.
I really enjoyed your class this semester. Thank you for being the professor that you are. Your methodology and approach to teaching has been refreshing and really made Media Law an enjoyable class.
All the best.
The one thing I found most interesting was how much freedom of speech we actually have. From the Texas v. Johnson case to R.A.V. v. St. Paul to the Virigina v. Black cases. I want to learn more about the ins and outs of the first amendment because there are many things that people don't realize. Learning that flag burning, hate speech, burning crosses, etc were protected by the first amendment.
Charles Reyna
MC 4301
TTh class
I found all of the topics of this course very interesting. Although some of the material can be pretty tough I always wanted to continue to learn more. This course has really opened my eyes to how much freedom of speech we really do have. One things I was really surprised about was the Happy Birthday song. I have worked at several restaurants that have not altered the song to not violate the copyright. Now after taking this class I realized how much trouble you could get in from doing small "innocent" things like singing a little kid happy birthday.
Katherine Byland
online
Ashley G.
MC 4301--TTH
The education cases are the ones I found interesting and relevant to personal experience. In high school our vice principal did not take our newspaper serious. She always had something negative to say and it was clear that she did not support the newspaper, the teacher or the students.
It was interesting to see how the students in Tinker v. Des Moines exercised their right to free speech and continued to wear black armbands as symbolic speech. It amazed me to learn that the Supreme Court ruled that students possess First Amendment rights, because it did not feel that way for me in high school.
I learned so much from this class! Thank you, Professor Martinez!
Jennifer W.
MC 4301 -- TTH
The part of this class that I found most interesting was learning about free speech, in particular I enjoyed learning about prior restraint. New York Times v. The United States and Near v. Minnesota were the most eye-opening cases in my opinion because the supreme court ruled in favor of the media instead of the government. I think these cases show that in order to have a free open-market place of ideas there needs to be officials that have the people and media's best interest at heart.
Overall the conversations about free speech, what can be said and how it can be expressed, was my favorite part about this class and has intrigued me to learn more in the future about this topic. Coming out of this course I feel that I have more knowledge about the law and in particular media law.
Thank you so much for the great semester, Professor Martinez!
Bianca Gandaria. Online!
I have enjoyed this course, though it had been tough at times, it was so good to learn more about the media, and just the ins and outs of the law. Throughout the semester there were many topics that caught my interest but a few stood out the most to me. One was our conversations about video games and violence because I am minoring in sociology and found it interesting that there isn't a correlation between the two. Second thing that stood out to me was from my last case brief which was over LaFace v. Rosa Parks and how it was interesting how the court ruled and played out. I also enjoyed the usage of forums this semester and with that being said another great topic was that of libel. I enjoyed discussing the different celebrities and their cases of libel. It was interesting to think that it really does effect a lot of public figures, and the effects can be life long heavy burden.
Thank you for your showing you're enthusiasm and knowledge towards this course.
The course was cool yet challenging. One of the areas that I found to be fascinating was the section on intellectual property. As a photographer and website designer, it is very common for an client to add some aspect of another's work into their design. This course covered what is acceptable and what isn't. It also brought forth ideas as to how I can make sure that others cannot infringe on what is rightfully mine. Overall, I enjoyed the course.
Delecia C. TTH 12:30
(Honors)
Coming into this class, I had no idea what to expect from a class such as this one. Law??? Policies??? Judicial processes??? Adult things??????
I tried to take this class day by day, hoping to find some semblance of an idea of what it meant to be free in the US, and after each opinion and discussion, I was not disappointed. I learned a great deal about what it truly means to be free in America: it means the insurance of protection for the words we say, the things we think, and even the thoughts we hate, and while quarrel may be made with such speech, to bar it would be to impose a double standard for the country's flow of thought.
Normally, whenever I would hear about the victories of offensive groups in such cases as Snyder v. Phelps, I would become outraged at the lack of justice those bigoted wins entailed. However, the content of this class helped me to understand that the law goes much deeper than our own biased perspectives of good and bad ethics; it's about the circumstance and intricacies of each case at hand. As such, in the Snyder v. Phelps case, the offensive party's saving grace was the generality of its message concerning a public matter in an open and public forum. People's morals didn't matter; what mattered was that one party had a message and they went about communicating that message in a legal, valid way.
It's cases like those that challenged my perspective and belief in the law that I found most valuable, as well as every moment I spoke up only to get verbally dunked on for my sophomoric legal ignorance. This class is definitely one of the most challenging and frustrating that I've ever had in my life. With every reading, there came more intensive discussions that forced what seemed to be clean-cut cases under the lens of scrutiny and exposed the jagged and often blurred lines of the law, and for this new ability to make sense of this blurred area, I am grateful. Also this class has forever changed my perception of mannequins, and that's cool, too.
Felisha G.
T/Th 12:30pm
I found many topics we discussed this semester to be very interesting and pretty challenging to understand at first, but I've learned so much. Throughout the semester, the majority of the class we learned the importance of Free Speech and how it can be for or against you, but it really helped me open my eyes on the subject matter. One of the most interesting things I learned was the legal rights behind "Happy Birthday." It's such a common innocent thing that has the power to get someone in so much trouble. Overall, the class was tough but very interesting!
Emilia H. TH 12:20
This was my second go around taking Media Law.
When i first found out I was going to have to take media law for a second time, I was very disappointed and pissed at the thought of having to take the class again.
However, after a couple weeks of lecture and doing way better on my first exam of the semester, I realized how much of the content I did not understand the first time I took the class.Law has always been a subject that is hard for me to wrap my mind around so It has been very refreshing being able to to full understand the subjects and cases we have discussed through out this semester.
In all, Im thankful that I had to take the corse again because I've learn so much more then I thought I would!
McGee M TTH
Libel law was the most interesting topic discussed in class, because it addressed why public figures and public officials are so different than private people. In the cases Gertz v Welch and Sullivan v New York Times, I was taught an area of law that was never exposed to me before. Prior to this semester, I never knew why media outlets got away with their outrageously false posts.
As a personal experience with libel, I have witnessed family scandals, where husbands posed as successful realtors and stole from their clients. They were eventually incarcerated for making libelous claims about fiscal decisions in the real estate market, and stole money from their clients.
Amy Glass- T/TH Class
I found the free speech section most interesting, particularly New York Times v. United States and Brandenburg v. Ohio. The decisions of the Court in both of these cases surprised me. In the Pentagon Papers case, I was surprised that the Court would rule against the government, given the importance of the documents being published. (The skeptic in me also would have thought that the government would have had some political influence over the Justices to make them rule in their favor.)
In Brandenburg, I was surprised that Brandenburg’s speech was protected. I would have expected (and wanted) him to be punished for his statements. This was probably the most interesting case to me because it forced me to think about whether I truly value free speech, or whether I’d like opinions I don’t agree with to be punished. Obviously, free speech is more important because of the slippery slope that comes with censoring unpopular messages. I definitely came out of this class with a better appreciation for everything free speech entails.
Rachel H. TTH
I found this class to be very interesting over the course of this semester and I have learned so much from it. I enjoyed learning about all of the different court cases and how each one represented something different, but at the same time intertwined. But my favorite topic of discussion was on free speech because of how complex it can be. Before taking this class, I had no idea how broad of a topic it was. Now, with a better understanding I can actually appreciate it.
Darcy S. honors
This class was very interesting to me. The way it was managed made it so much more exciting than a simple lecture based class. One of the most interesting topics for me was the Pentagon Papers. As a journalist I love seeing what good journalism can bring about in society. With the Panama papers, this case seemed really relevant.
Overall, I feel like this class was vital for me in my path to becoming a journalist.
MC 4301 -- TTH
I enjoyed various topics that were discussed in class, but the one that peaked my interest the most was free speech. There are so many rules and regulations that go into free speech such as hate speech and what exactly is and isn't protected by the first amendment. When we discussed court cases in class dealing with free speech I was surprised by the outcome of some.
Snyder v. Phelps was the case that stuck out to me the most. I have yet to understand how the Westboro Baptist Church and their distasteful actions were protected by the first amendment. But if anything, this class has taught me that the first amendment never fails to protect little bits and pieces of everything, as distasteful as it may be.
Well I wish I had pursued law now. Really I wish I had sat in on a course like this when I was a freshman and wanted to actually go into law a long...long time ago. I am a Senior graduating in the fall and I am on my second...."Victory Lap" if you will. I loved this course and what it taught and the one thing that really stood out to me was the pentagon papers case.
That was extremely comparable to what is happening with Edward Snowden and other cases similar to that, I went and did some after class research and really followed up on that section as I really found it intriguing and interesting.
I also appreciate my 1st amendment right a hell of a lot more than I did when I first went into this class. If I'm not mistaken every case we spoke about could be tied into the 1st amendment in some way. I definitely wont take that for granted and will keep the cases in mind when I am a professional in the PR world.
Jerrika Midkiff
t-th 12:30
After taking this class, I realized just how interesting media law is. To me the most interesting topic we discussed is privacy, in home and in public. I know most of this seems like common sense, but its still crazy to think that if you are a celebrity you almost have no privacy. I also thought it was crazy that every topic we talked about had to do with the first amendment. I had no idea that the first amendment can control and effect so many different situations.
Jerome F.
Online
I really thought the chapter on intellectual property was really interesting. It showed me how the law and business coincide with each other sometimes and when its in their best interest companies will fight for certain laws they need passed. What really caught me is when I read that Disney bought Star Wars as a profit-maker, because they will soon lose copyrights to Mickey Mouse. This is a very smart business move and it made me really look into how many of America's favorite characters or novel items are copyrighted and how many are public domain.
As someone going into Advertising it is essential and very helpful to know what is protected from use and what is public domain in case any ideas come across my desk that could possibly break the law.
James Binford
Throughout the semester in media law class I learned a lot of interesting things that I would of never explored if it wasn't for this class. Upon taking the class I heard that it was a hard class and that a lot of people end up not passing the class for the semester. I'm going to graduate in the Fall and I'm glad I was able to sit in your class before graduating. After the first week of class I was excited and started asking my sister who is a public defender lawyer in Philadelphia about some of the cases we went over in class and she kind of helped me out to understand more clearly.
But one of the cases I enjoyed learning about would have to be Morse v. Frederick. I think the whole background of the case and the turn out were very interesting and pretty hilarious to say the least. Although I think Frederick should have won I still think justice was served and I know that school officials can prevent students from displaying messages that promote illegal drug use.
That case just kind of stuck with me throughout the whole semester and I still think we covered many other great cases.
Marvin P. TTH 1230-150
I see exactly why this class is one of the last classes taken in this major, I also think it's the most interesting, as well as stimulating. I loved how I learned about the law, while understanding how it molds as time goes on. Public vs private figures is an topic that I found intriguing as maybe the most flexible element in law because of simple social media. The idea of a public figure vs private person couldn't be more differnent in this day-in-age, because I feel like Time v Firestone would have ended very differently. Chapter 5: Libel, Defenses and Privileges was my favorite chapter as a whole. So detail-oriented in how it plays out in court, and I love how it doesn't favor the rich and famous.
Casey Chafin
T/Th @ 12:30
I never thought this class would end so quickly! Even though I was beyond nervous, and kept delaying taking this course, I can understand why it's so important. This has been a challenging course for myself but, I have learned so much that I can carry throughout my future. I have already used my knowledge of things like libel and negligence in two of my classes since the lectures over the topics. Learning so much about law made me put different things into perspective...I enjoyed discussing al the different court cases that have shaped the government over all of the years. History makes the law what it is, and to take a trip back into time I thought was very educational. My favorite topic dealt with free speech because we are surrounded with this constantly in today's society and I have been able to relate back to what I have learned.
Michael M (online)
After having been in this class I would have to say that free speech was by far the most interesting. In the bill of rights, it is so vaguely written that one automatically thinks anything one may say is protected, however that is not the case. One does have to watch what one says because it can get you into trouble because like with everything, there are loop holes. This does affect people, like me who are in Public relations, because it can be either libel or slander.
It affects me because I’m one of those people, and probably not the only one, that when upset I vent either by getting angry and saying things I don’t mean. Sure, they can be hurtful and probably true, however, it doesn’t mean they should be said. If enough people hear and believe what I said I could possibly be in trouble for slander. Thought I am more careful I just have to remember that the things I say could have consequences and could possibly get me into some serious trouble.
Kelsey Walsh
T-TH 12:30
You are a great professor and every lecture has been intellectually stimulating. I have really learned a lot, so thank you.
The topic that had the greatest impact on me was learning the true value of free speech. I enjoyed going through the history of the cases, learning about people's triumphs and failures. I respect the people who fought for our freedom of speech, both the victors and those who "it sucked to be." They were the pioneers for free speech and their battles were definitely worthwhile. I think it sends a greater message to stand up for what you believe in, what you think is right, and what you think is just (even if society's laws currently go against it). Conversation and conflict leads to change. It takes brave people to voice these issues and thanks to the freedom of speech we can do so without repression!
Merica! For real. It's a great place to be.
Tabitha E. (TTh)
I actually really enjoyed anytime we discussed the O.J case. I find everything about it interesting. I have been keeping up with the show on FX and jumped up in my seat a little anytime you would mention the case. I found that the chapter on free speech and libel interesting as well. The chapter on libel actually helped me a lot in another class because we had a quiz I forgot about (oops) and because of your class I already knew all the answers (thanks!). I am actually personally going through come legal issues right now so when I went to go talk to my lawyer, I actually knew what he was talking about thanks to this class.
Sarah Hollenbeck TTh 12:30
While I found the entire class to be very interesting, something I was really not aware of until this class was how different the ethics and the law parts of these cases were. Throughout the class as we discussed the various cases, it was sometimes hard to see what was right or wrong. Because, in the instance of NYT v. US, what was ethically right to the journalists (making the public aware of the information and the fact that the government was lying to them) was different than what was ethically right in the eyes of the government (not releasing this information for matters of national security). What I found to be most interesting was that there were different sides to what is ethically right and what is right in the eyes of the law, and that most often the outcome is in benefit of the public. I saw this again and again with many of the cases (including NYT v. US) discussed this semester, that as long as the ethics of journalism were followed (seek truth and report it, minimize harm, act independently and be accountable/transparent)the journalists would often (but not always) win because their interest is in being truthful to the public.
First off, just wanted to say I actually enjoyed your class even though at the beginning of the semester i was not too excited to have to take it, so thank you for that! one of the things that i found very interesting was the libel chapters. i always had a kind of broad over view of what libel was, but i had no idea all of the trouble it caused throughout what we learned this semester. it was interesting to see the precedents that were set back in the day that we still use now.
Jesus P.
T/Th class
After coming from professor Walsh's class, your class was a genuine breath of fresh air. The subject matter is important to our futures a media professionals, and you were able to explain the concepts in much simpler terms. Learning about the freedom of speech was particularly interesting, because it's something all Americans have the right to,and yet very few actually understand and apply those rights. I feel like I am much better informed, and am able to properly utilize those rights.
Madison W
TTH
Intellectual Property laws were the topic that stuck out the most to me. I think the reason was because of trademarked images. Being in a sorority means every time I turn around there is another t-shirt to buy. These t-shirts most of the time have some image on them that is a trademarked image but as you said there are way too many people using trademarked images and not making a profit off of them for it to be regulated.
Nicole Starkey
Online
This class ended up being more interesting than I had expected. One thing I really enjoyed was doing the case briefs. As difficult as they were, it was interesting to read through the cases and put it into my own perspective. I also really enjoyed the topic of copywriting. There is such a fine line with copywriting that many don't even realize they have don't it. And lastly, I found the topic of libel to be very interesting. While looking for a libel case for my forum, I found tons of crazy libel cases that I found hard to believe were ever an issue until I remembered that our society will believe almost anything they read.
Robert Hausmann
T/TH
This course has been by far my favorite class that I have taken thus far in my career. My favorite topic that we discussed this semester would probably have to be everything dealing with free speech and the first amendment. I found it so interesting how each course case would come out and how each case would be such close calls. This were all my favorite cases also because I enjoy learning the rules of free so each and knowing what is and what is not protected. This really opened my eyes and my mind and made me use critical thinking.
Alyssa Townley
TTh
I thoroughly enjoyed this class. Each chapter had a different court case or lesson that I didn’t know about. It was always interesting seeing who won the cases and which laws allowed certain things to happen. When it came to the Synder v. Phelps case I was surprised that Westboro won, even though I understood why. There were several cases that were legally allowed, but morally shouldn’t be in my opinion. I also did not know about the “Happy Birthday” song until this class. The class discussion on media and violence stood out to me also, I felt for the teacher’s family who sued, but understand why the media is not responsible for the crime. Every topic we learned about was extremely relevant and I really enjoyed your class.
Natalia Portillo
T/TH Class
I have really enjoyed your class and the topic that I felt I enjoyed the most was about copyright and trademarks. I found it very interesting and found myself wanted to know more information about all the cases. I felt I only knew the basics but learning about the whole background and history of it made it more engaging. I feel like I will be keeping an eye out for all the Mickey Mouse and Star Wars copyright with Disney.
Rodolfo H
TR 12:30
Thank you again for an enlightening course. As someone who has views on intellectual property most would find pretty unorthodox, I probably have to say IP law was particularly interesting for me to learn about in terms of how the court went about making its decisions. It was pretty nice to learn about it in an objective, academic setting. Libel was definitely interesting in its own way as well. I find the ideas of privilege and public personage really interesting and still have debates to this day with friends about where the line should be drawn between a private and public person.
Thanks for bringing an unforgettable attitude to an unforgettable class. It really was nice to have you in my final semester.
RH
Jacquelyn C
T TH 12:30
The privacy cases were the most interesting for me, specifically the ones focuses on reproductive rights. Being a young woman, it's baffling to see what women back then had to fight for, for something that is so easily accessible to me now. Griswold v Connecticut gave married women the right to contraceptives. It wasn't until seven years later in Eistenstadt v Baird that single women has access to contraceptives. I wanted to learn more about events that took place between that gap and what did single women do to prevent pregnancy and the affects it had them. It just makes me think of how far we have came, because now there is free birth control.
Mary W
Online Class
I took this class previously but had to drop it due to circumstances in my personal life. So, I am very glad that I was able to finish it out this semester! I found the content of this class to be the most interesting in my college career. It is extremely relevant to our every day life. I believe we often take free speech for granted, myself included, and it was refreshing to become more aware of the different court cases our country went through to get where we are today.
Learning about the Snyder v. Phelps case was very interesting to me because pretty much everyone hates Westboro Baptist Church, including myself. But even I had to agree with the majority that their protest should be protected by the First Amendment. It is refreshing to have a class that challenges my way of thinking and provides free and open debate. Thank you for a wonderful class!
Beau M.
Online
After this course is finished and its all said and done, I know the one thing I'll be taking from this class and its the importance of being detail oriented. Not just in the work we had to do over the course of the semester (case briefing assignments), but in anything. In most of the cases we covered, there is so much detail to filter through. In searching for these details that concern cases of the same laws, or reoccurring themes, I found that free speech laws must be examined thoroughly and in depth with much attention to DETAIL. Like in the case HILL V. COLORADO, sure we have the freedom to express what we want to say and feel, but what about when it interferes with other individuals citizen rights? it was a very interesting topic to breakdown and learn more on. needless to say, detail is crucial. and for that we thank you.
Jonathan Check, HON 3396E:
When considering what the most interesting area of free speech and free press that we explored this semester was for me, I immediately decided the school speech cases were easily #1 on the list. It was interesting to see how SCOTUS's stance evolved through the years - from their decision in Tinker that protected the passive "pure speech" of black armbands to upholding punishment of a student for innuendous speech in Bethel to restricting poor and potentially controversial journalistic practices used in a school-sponsored newspaper in Hazelwood to prohibiting positive statements on illegal drugs such as "BONG HiTS 4 JESUS" in Morse (I can't wait to see what other crazy things students try in the future!).
Additionally, while I disagreed with his belief that even Tinker should be thrown out, I found Justice Thomas' concurrence in Morse interesting, pointing out how we gave students free speech rights within schools via Tinker and have since gradually chipped away at those rights. Just in general, while the reading may have been challenging and a bit overwhelming at times, I think having to read the actual court opinions added a further dimension to the course and our understanding of the issues and rulings in question.
For me and the rest of the honors class though, the school cases took on a new dimension with Long v. Texas and Bell v. Itawamba. In the case of Long, we got to see a school case - albeit not a speech or press case - play out right in front of our eyes at the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Then with Bell, we took matters into our own hands and decided a case that SCOTUS, rather interestingly, denied certiorari. As you said, Dr. Martinez, that was a culmination of everything we'd done and learned throughout the semester, and while we couldn't perfectly replicate the conditions of a Supreme Court setting, it still felt really cool to make it authentic in at least a few ways, including the five-judge panel delivering our varying opinions.
Without wanting to discuss in too much detail the class in general - that's for the final essay - I'll simply say that this was one of my favorite classes in my two years at TXST so far. I've learned over the last few years, between AP Government as a high school senior and POSI 2310 my first semester here, that I have quite an interest in our judicial system, at least relative to other branches of government. I also knew that I had a greater respect for them than I do for other branches of government, who disagree and divide themselves, making them less effective, simply because of the D's and R's next to their names - this is why George Washington told us not to create political parties! Anyhow, this class just further cemented my interest and respect for our courts.
Like I said, I don't want to say too much right now as I'll likely be expanding upon the same ideas in the final essay, so you'll just have to wait for that.
Max S. TTh
I really enjoyed the final lecture about ethics in regards to the media. It definitely will make me stop and think twice about things I do in the future, in most aspects of my life. Especially in my workplace. I thought that I knew a fair deal about this topic to begin with, but when discussed in class, there seemed to be greater depth. It was interesting to learn the difference between what is right legally speaking and how that differs from what is right ethically speaking.
David Rubio T/TH
If I had to choose a topic I would say the flag burning case. Due to the fact that the flag holds great value to our country and to our service men and women. I understand individual like to express there freedom of speech, but I just don't see how burning the UNITED STATES FLAG can be allowed. Men, women and even 18 year olds kids have died protecting our flag, and also to the few that our in our class. In my honest opinion if you have a problem with the way the country is ran. MOVE! There's is no need to disrespect the flag.
Kori Mickelson
TTH 12:30-1:50
I personally found the libel section very interesting. I had covered a couple of those cases in my BLAW class a couple semesters back but I enjoyed how we went further in depth. I also liked learning about how much free speech we have as Americans. I think that is something that everybody would benefit to learn more about.
I feel like I most personally was able to relate to the cases that involved restrictions in the public school system. I have never really gotten in trouble with the law but in high school there were always issues with my friends and I with dress code. I found it interesting to see the rights that you have/don't have when you are attending school.
Ashley R
TTh 12:30
I enjoyed seeing how the free speech is applied in action. After re-watching the Good Wife I got really excited about getting to connect the show to the law. Free speech is something that we hold on to daily. It gives us the freedom to say what we want as long as it follows guidelines.
Free speech is a topic a lot of people know about and some think that they are an expert on. Just because a message may seem harmful, it is sometimes in line with the law. For instance, in the Westboro Baptist Church would have lost the case because of the messages on signs they were holding. But on the side of the law, they were on public property and they weren't inciting violence.
Autumn S. TTH
I can honestly say that I've enjoyed every topic we've covered in this class. My favorite, though, was Libel, Privacy, and Physical Harm or Emotional Distress. I know that's more than one topic, but they're so closely related that I can't pick a favorite from the three.
I was always taught that someone else's feelings are more important than whatever your opinion about them may be, so learning about cases where such terrible things are said about somebody, and learning that the law says it's ok, gave me serious pause.
For instance, in Hustler v. Falwell, and even in the Hulk Hogan case that is currently going on, someone publicly humiliated another person for their own personal gain. I can't fathom how one could go through with something like that and not bat an eye.
Luckily, Hogan was awarded a good amount in damages, but that was not the case for Falwell. I suppose - like we learned in class - my ethical compass is set to a different standard than what the First Amendment allows.
Corey Pohlmeyer
HONORS
Overall, I found the broad topics concerning freedom of speech in democratic societies to be the most interesting to me. This is mostly because I am generally interested in overarching topics which debate political theory, ethics, or philosophy.
I would definitely say that learning more about Libel and the importance of it. I now always second guess things that I read, see or hear and ask myself "would this fall under a libelous statement?" It is really important to know what can get you in trouble because even the most minor thing could be considered libelous and get you in so much trouble. As a PR professional I feel that this may be one of the most important assets to learn and to watch out for because of how easy something could be misread or taken into a false light.
I enjoyed getting deep in depth with this topic and how you provided examples of cases that have been hurt heavily due to libelous reasons. For example, on one of the four posts, I discovered that the movie American Hustle was sued for millions of dollars due to a scene where Jennifer Lawrence made a statement that was false and the author immediately sued for libel because of it. It is crazy how any little thing can severely hurt and get you in trouble. It is something I am going to be very careful with and triple check all of my work for accuracy and reliability.
Thank you so much for everything and I feel like I am more knowledgable and that much more prepared for what is to come in my future career!
-Cecilia
I can't believe it is already the end of the semester. I'm graduating and can finally put Texas State in my rear view mirror. However, I did find some of the different material and topics we discussed thought provoking. I especially liked how Disney purchased the rights to Star Wars because that means I will get to see the universe in a Kingdom Hearts game and be a badass jedi knight. I also thought the "Happy Birthday" legal rights were really interesting because I grew up working in the restaurant industry singing different songs for each company, but I had no idea which company owned the song. I can see why they wouldn't want to pay royalties to a corporation. I am glad to have gotten through this class with no scratches and a better understanding of free speech and my legal rights pertaining to said free speech. FUCK THE DRAFT!
There were so many interesting subjects that we touched on this semester. However, free speech was a common motif throughout class. The cases that I found the most interesting were the free speech cases, not just because there were a lot of them, but because there are so many aspects to these cases that need to be considered. I understand why the justices ruled a certain way, and even when they didn't agree on the acts that were committed, they still understood how important it was to not hinder free speech. I found this deeply important, and I think it has made me a better person because of it. Understanding that people have different opinions and views from my own doesn't mean that they are not allowed to have those views, and respecting these views is part of what makes the U.S. such a wonderful place to live. I thoroughly enjoyed your class and learned so many things about law and you also delivered the content in such a enjoyable and interesting way. Thanks.
Andrew Stock
T/Th 12:30-1:50
This class was by far my favorite class I have taken at Texas State. I enjoyed coming to every class and see what we would learn to help us in our careers. I think that my favorite topic this semester would have to be the free speech and first amendment. I learned a lot about how you can and cannot use the first amendment to speak about thing. I also enjoyed all the cases that were in this chapter and how ruling help shape what we can do now. Knew the first amendment was powerful, but not this much.
Nina Robles
T/Th
As I look back on the semester it is easy to see how much this class has broadened my knowledge. It was especially interesting taking this class while I was also taking a constitutional law class because we covered the exact same cases in both classes. It was interesting because I found myself learning about a case in my polisci class, and the next day in your class we would cover the same case I had just learned. Even when I thought I knew everything there was to know about a certain case, I would learn something new about the case from you. Overall I have taken away a greater respect and knowledge of the areas of law we covered this semester.
Hanna G.
TTh
The topic I found to be the most interesting is topic of free speech. I have learned a lot about what it means to speak your voice, be heard and also cause chaos along the way. After attending media law class I have become more tolerable of other's free speech rights. One case that brought me to acceptance is Snyder v. Phelps. Although their words and reasonings may not be popular or morally acceptable, they have that right to speak freely. This made me pause and reconsider- you do not have to agree with what they're saying, but you do have to respect their right to do so.
Thanks for a great semester G-Mart!
Mary R., 4301 TTH
While this entire semester has been both fascinating and illuminating, I found the chapters covering copyright and intellectual property to be of particular interest. As someone who invests a lot (probably more than I should) into pop culture, the discussion of Disney's acquisition of Star Wars to compensate for their most prominent icon falling into public domain--and other like topics--was particularly enjoyable and interesting.
Reversely, what's also been great about this class is the broad range of topics make understanding various media and pop culture that involve legal issues easier. Better Call Saul makes so much more sense now than it did back in January.
Macey K.-ONLINE
I found a lot of the topics discussed in the online lectures and forums this semester very interesting! I was motivated to take as much as I could out of this course since this is my second time taking it. I believe I accomplished that goal and learned a lot. Learning the elements of libel and slander were helpful since I've been able to apply what I've learned in my other mass comm courses. I found the defenses used in court for these allegations thought-provoking. I was continuously shocked by how much evidence is necessary for these cases. I found I've been able to use the knowledge I've gained from this course in everyday life, which was beyond my expectations.
There are many to pick from, but I would have to go with the recurring reference for the year. Or as professor Martinez said "the gift that keeps on giving", yes I am talking about O.J. As someone who was born and raised in the 90s/00s I was well aware of oj. He was a cultural figure, known for getting away with murder. I knew of the trial and Johnny Cochran, but to my surprise that was really it. I never really understood why oj was such a huge phenomenon, I just accepted it. It wasn't until after this class that I went and did my own research and realized how much he permeated throughout American culture. Yes he was a football star in both college and the NFL, but that was just the launching pad.afterwords he went on to become a universally beloved staple of the American landscape. There was no one who didn't like oj. Which is what made everything that followed the infamous slow chase that much bigger. It was a Titanic fall for a Titan of a man. Everything that happened after that is just so mesmerizing it is hard to believe it true. From him doing a reality T.V.show, to getting arrested for aggravated assault, to writing a book where he basically confessed, to getting sued by the father of the woman to lose his rights to that book. We accept this to just be a fact of life, what happened to oj is part of our world. But what we forget is that what he did changed our world. A single figure made that much of an impact on an entire countries culture.
Cheyenne H. (T-TH)
What I found most interesting was the whole discussion on Story of a Lawsuit. Following through each element involved in a lawsuit and the way the discussion was set up really helped me grasp how it works in court. I really never thought about the process involved from the very beginning of a case up to the verdict and thereafter. (if the case is seen by the supreme court) I also found the whole discussion on the supreme court to be interesting as far as its involvement with Story of a Lawsuit. The fact that the court only hears around 100 cases each year and they receive thousands of requests. If I was on the end trying to get my case heard by the supreme court, I don't know if I would be more nervous waiting to see if my case was heard or more nervous if they actually chose to hear my case. So this was definitely one of the most memorable discussions we had in class.
Austin C.
TTH 12:30-1:50
Overall this course for me has been some what eye opening. It has really shown me how important it is to be detailed. As for my favorite part of the course, I would have to say I enjoyed learning about libel laws the most. The differences between public figures and private people was a really interesting subject to me. Thanks for a good semester!
Jenna Jackson T/TH 12:30-1:50 4301
I can’t believe this class is almost over! I was so worried about this class at the beginning of the semester but now I can say I’ve truly enjoyed it. I have learned so much about so many different things and have definitely sparked an interest in media law. Some of my favorite cases we have talked about are the O.J. Simpson case, all of the Education cases, the marriage and abortion cases, the Disney cases, and even most recently the “Happy Birthday” copyright case. These cases were all just every interesting and opened my eyes to everything people have done to fight for things they care about the last 50-100 years. I now have a much better understanding about the law, legal rights, First Amendment, USSC, free speech, and so much more just from a semester. Thank you for such a stimulating class that has taught me and so many others such important cases and things we can apply to everyday life.
Greetings,
I would like to mention two topics that actually had extra relevance to me. The first out of this two topics is the Hazelwood v. Kuhlmeier (1988) case. This is the case associated with the high school student newspaper that was monitored by the principal in what I still continue to believe is a clear defiance of First Amendment rights despite the fact that the law states otherwise. At any rate, this one has huge parallels with my own experience as editor-in-chief of The West End Post, a Laredo Community College publication that was not sponsored by the school. Anyhow, I always published good articles until I published one concerning the accreditation troubles of the school. Despite the fact it was a popular item around the city and even in near communities and was in the 10 PM news, my sponsor, a professor at LCC rip the story apart. Of course, I complained back but she ultimately told me to either don't publish it or get out of the newspaper. Eventually, I quit that very same day after providing a bit of a fight but I believe the parallels that my experience has with Hazelwood are significant.
Another thing I would like to mention is that the First Amendment never ceases to amaze me. Despite the fact it is something we learn since grade school, time and time again we get to know more about this important amendment in our Constitution.
For now folks, I wish you all good in your finals, especially this one, and how everyone has a great Summer recess or success in summer school as I hope for myself in order to graduate!
-Jorge V. (TTh 12:30-1:50 PM)
This class had a lot of information, that's for sure. Some of it was a familiar from what I learned in my business law class, but there are so many instances and laws that I didn't know about. The most interesting topic for me was the FIrst Amendment and its effect on different cases. A lot of the cases did stem back to the first amendment, and I was surprised how much protection we do have, sometimes to the point where it's at odds with ethics.
And speaking of ethics, that was interesting to me in that with the law, it's black and white, facts, all business-like. Then, when you add in the "should", it becomes a gray area. There were cases we discussed that a generally ethical person would argue that the people/organization who won should not have. It takes on a whole new meaning.
All in all, this course has made me knowledgeable about the law in regards to free speech, libel, intellectual property, etc. and how the law works among the media. Becoming a part of the media profession, I feel more secure knowing what the rules are and how to avoid making a mess of things.
TTh - Nicole Green
Karla M.
T-Th 12:30
Before this class I was very unaware of how powerful the first amendment really is. Learning about the freedom of speech cases is probably whats going to stick with me the most. Theres so many new platforms that reach so many people now, like Facebook and Twitter, so knowing what I can and cannot say is very helpful to me know. Overall, I really enjoyed this class because it helped me learn how to exercise my rights.
Bettijean O.
T/Th 12:30 class
My favorite topic that we covered would have to be free speech because it is so important. It is very important for me and for others to know when we have the right to express ourselves. I enjoyed seeing through the cases we reviewed how as our world changes we got more freedom of speech rights. There will always be someone trying to restrict or sensor what someone else is saying, but if we are more educated on our speech rights more of us won’t be afraid to say what is on our minds. I think it is mind boggling to think back in 1971, which wasn’t too long ago, California tried to restrict anti-war speech in the Cohen vs. California “Fuck the Draft” case. When today, we don’t think twice about sharing our political views in public and via the internet/social media. I enjoyed this class very much because everything we learned is relevant and important to our lives today.
Hope Bachman
TTH 1230
I never knew how much power our constitutional right to freedom of speech actually held until studying many of the cases we have covered in this class. I think one of the most interesting facts is that no matter how disturbing or offensive the speech is, it will most likely be protected by the first amendment. For example, I was surprised but understand as to why the west boro baptist church was protected in the case Snyder V Phelps. If the high scrutiny test is used, the speech will most likely be protected.
Daniel E. (online class)
This semester sure has flown by! I can't believe we are already concluding our media law class. This is my second go-around with taking media law and I have had a MUCH better experience this time around. Not only is my grade significantly better, I feel like I've learned in a far more effective way. Kudos to a great class. But on the subject of topics that stood out to me......
I really found the first amendment to be very interesting. I never knew burning of the flag could be considered free expression. I think my perception of the first amendment has certainly changed- it is more powerful than I ever thought it was.The first amendment will cover stuff that could be considered unethical, just like the burning of the flag. From reading other posts on here, it looks like nearly everyone underestimated the power of the first amendment.
Victoria D. TTH
Coming into this class I was extremely nervous because law type subjects were always tough for me. I took business law and it was one of the most difficult classes I've taken. But I was pleasantly surprised by how great this class was. The First Amendment is so powerful and I enjoyed learning more about it. The most intriguing cases I learned in class were the privacy cases dealing with government intrusion. Right to contraception and abortion are still topics that are sensitive today and it's awesome that all this time Roe V. Wade continues to be upheld. Also cases like Bowers V. Hardwick where I feel like the USSC made a terrible decision, but it ended up being overturned in Lawrence V. Texas. Giving these First Amendment rights to EVERYONE, I believe that we continue to move in the right direction. THANK YOU PROFESSOR MARTINEZ for showing us the power of the First Amendment.
Cassandra T
T/Th
I found our entire unit on free speech and the 1st amendment incredibly interesting. I definitely thought I knew more than I did on the topic. All of the different cases we studied that covered the subject from so many different angles really did fascinate me. Is this free expression? Is the person trying to cause another person direct harm from this speech? Are these fighting words? Is this obscene...by who's standards? Is the speech defamatory? There are so many different ways the right to speech and expression can be both protected and taken away.
I've always found the law fascinating and was really excited to take this class since I am not a law student. I'm so glad I did, and feel like a more educated person for having taken it. Thanks for a great semester!
Miranda Gonzales
Tth 12:30
I really enjoyed all of the content in this class. I would have to say it was the most informative class and one I see myself referring back to a lot in my future endeavours. The topic that sparked my interest the most was seeing how much the first amendment protects and it's limits. I never realized how much of an impact the first amendment has had on society as a whole and the career field I see myself in. It was nice to see how much the communication field is backed up by the constitution and all the successful cases we learned about, that had shown just that. Overall, I loved this class, though it was my hardest, It was my most stimulating class I had ever taken. Thank you for an entertaining and educational class Professor Martinez! You da best.
Amber S. (Honors)
This semester has gone by so fast and we have covered so many interesting first amendment topics. For me the most interesting cases and topics were the education cases.
As a parent my first instinct was to agree with the school districts and courts especially in cases involving things like "bong hits for jesus" and inappropriate speeches. However after analyzing cases and participating in the moot court I've learned to think about the broader consequences of these court decisions and giving the school board that much over reach.
It was also very cool to work with my dad who is a judge and lawyer on these cases. As a nursing student we don't always have a lot of common ground.
Erin H.
TTh 12:30
This class was by far my favorite class I have ever taken. I found everything we talked about so intriguing. I almost want to pursue a career in law.
The topic I found most interesting would be the cases from the first test involving free speech. I thought it was very interesting to see how the protection of free speech expanded throughout all the cases this semester. I never realized how important the first amendment is and all that it protects. Everyone is allowed their own opinion and we shouldn't be punished just because someone else may disagree.
Overall, I loved this class. Although it was hard, the information was so interesting and you made it very fun and easy to follow along. Thank you for being such a great teacher!
Aneeta Bhattarai TTH 12:30-1:50 PM
I couldn’t really pick one favorite topic because all cases were equally important and have created impact on us. The first Amendment, U.S. constitution, democracy, libel, privacy,hate speech, flag burning, court’s decision, emotional distress, media's role in society, ethics -- all these topics were equally significant. In fact, the court’s decisions, facts, laws and processes were really interesting to know.
It was amazing to learn how the first Amendment asks for more voices, speech and tell the truth. Everyone has the right to talk and have their opinions, but that doesn’t mean that they are not allowed to have their voices. Sometimes, we might not support a fact or statement, but how we express our views that are different and make a conversation makes a difference. Most importantly, free speech talks about making the best decisions and not censorship. The Westboro Church case provided hateful messages, where no one agreed, yet the Supreme Court made its decision in favor of Westboro Church. This makes me pause for a while and re-think. This caused emotional distress to Snyder, but court does not look toward such actions. The Supreme Court decision was weird, but the principle was that it was protected under free speech.
Aneeta Bhattarai TTH 12:30-1:50 PM
I couldn’t really pick one favorite topic because all cases were equally important and have created impact on us. The first Amendment, U.S. constitution, democracy, libel, privacy, hate speech, flag burning, court’s decision, emotional distress, media's role in society, ethics -- all these topics were equally significant. In fact, the court’s decisions, facts, laws and processes were really interesting to know.
It was amazing to learn how the first Amendment asks for more voices, speech and tell the truth. Everyone has the right to talk and have their opinions, but that doesn’t mean that they are not allowed to have their voices. Sometimes, we might not support a fact or statement, but how we express our views that are different and make a conversation makes a difference. Most importantly, free speech talks about making the best decisions and not censorship. The Westboro Church case makes me pause and re-think. It provided hateful messages, where no one agreed, yet the Supreme Court made its decision in favor of Westboro Church. This caused emotional distress to Snyder, but court does not look toward such actions. The Supreme Court decision was weird, but the principle was that it was protected under free speech.
Timothy Traylor
T/Thur 12:30-1:50
I personally enjoyed all the free speech cases, which was mostly consisted of the cases we discussed during the beginning of the semester. I didn't realize how important the First Amendment was to protecting symbolic speech and notations of expression that could be considered harmful or offensive. Although I do have my own opinion about a lot of the Supreme court cases we studied, I found the rulings on a lot of these cases to be logical. I also enjoyed the insight in regards to how the Supreme court uses prior restraint along with previous cases to decide current issues regarding appeals and state laws.
Cases like Texas v. Johnson and Near v. Minnesota helped me to gain an understanding on how the law can protect more than just free speech. I appreciate the knowledge I've gained from this class, I will definitely be able to use this information in my career.
Abigail W. TTh
There was a certain topic that made me reconsider my thoughts. In Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey the husband notification requirement seemed ridiculous to me. I didn't think it was right to not tell your husband if you're having an abortion. I was so confused and thought that they had just as much say in the decision as the woman does, but then I got to talking about it with some friends. They gave me their point of views and I then understood why that law did not pass. Even though I do not agree with abortion I understand that some women are in serious danger in some relationships and this law could help them tremendously. This law is there to protect women by not having to bring a baby into a a bad relationship. I think this was one of my favorite cases because it truly made me think about women who are in dangerous relationships.
James A. TTh
This class was an eye opener. I wish I had taken it sooner so I had been able to apply it to some of the lower level Communications courses. Media Law & Ethics really connected a lot of the dots for me, and re-sparked my passion for fighting for 1st Amendment rights. Voltaire said, "‘I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." I think that sentiment should be shared with any Constitution-loving Americans. This class showed us why taste was often superseded by freedom, only possible because of our constitution. For me, seeing the way that the court ruled as the composition of the court changed through the years, was fascinating. Major decisions were made that were actually unpopular with the Political Party that was in power of the White House or the Legislature. New York Times v U.S. (USSC, 1971) is one example of how the court ruled in favor of Freedom of Speech as apposed to following the wishes of the powers the be. Texas v Johnson (USSC, 1989) is another example of a case involving unpopular subject matter. The flag being burned for any American should be an emotion evoking image. It would have been easy for the USSC to rule in favor of popular opinion, and uphold the conviction for Johnson. Instead, they strengthened the 1st Amendment, and our country is better because of it.
I also found the subject matter on libel very interesting and relevant to my future career. I hope to have a four hour radio talk-show soon, and I will use these lessons on a daily basis. So many times, I've heard radio broadcaster talk about a controversial story and just follow it up with, "allegedly." I always though that was thin ice, and now I know that it is. I will not make the same mistake.
Chelsea V T,TH
I found this class to be incredibly interesting. Understanding what you are permitted to do by law in the communication world is essential. Free speech has a lot more bearing on our lives than we realize and it has been really cool to understand that the First Amendment wants honesty. I found many of the cases very interesting and actually enjoyed studying the verdicts and reasonings for the cases. Overall I thought this class was very helpful, not only in providing insight into history, but also in my future career.
I thought the Hustler magazine case was very interesting. I had a key interest to it because of what the internet has created up to today. Between memes, and vines and such. So much comedy is made off of people and their actions. For example the Michael Jordan Crying face set on different pictures of current events is always funny. Stuff like that pertains to that landmark case.
Kyle Henke
TTH 12:30-1:50
Sean Guion-Online
The section of this class that enjoyed the most was talking about public figures and libel. NY Times v. Sullivan was my favorite case to dissect as it had multiple appeals. Learning that public figure's legal matters are handled much differently than your average person was enlightening as they have thrust themselves into the lime light and have to expect criticism, insults and praise.
NY Times v. Sullivan was an historic case as it set a precedent for cases involving public figures as it established the actual malice standard meaning public figures suing for libel must prove actual malice in libel statements. Sullivan was the Alabama police chief in the early 60's when the civil rights riots and protests were occurring. The advertisement stated that Alabama police were mishandling arrests during the time. Although Sullivan was not mentioned in the "inaccurate" statements, he considered it defamatory to him as he was the commissioner. Sullivan wound up losing the case as he could not prove actual malice.
This case grasped my interest in all other cases involving libel, past and present, including the recent post about Hulk Holgan.
Erica B.
T/TH 12:30-1:50
I seriously can't believe this semester has flown by so quickly! I was intimidated by this class at first, due to friends telling me about the class, but I honestly enjoyed it. Even though there was many topics I enjoyed, the ones that stood out to me were the freedom of speech and public figures topics. Even though I knew about them some due to high school, how in depth we went really sparked my interest to learn more about it! I loved learning about how public figure's had different legal matters and their actions were handled differently than regular people because they put themselves into the public eye and should have expected criticism.
Kodi Quallss- TTh Class
I found many of the topics we covered this semester to be interesting and eye opening. This course seemed to cover all the bases of the First Amendment and got into just enough detail on every case. Two cases stood out to me throughout the semester, the flag burning cases and the happy birthday case. The flag burning case was so interesting to me because of what I thought I knew and what I learned. The fact that burning a flag can be protected is something i never thought could happen.So many more factors go into a looking at a case than I thought.The happy birthday case was interesting to be because I was unaware that before it went into the public domain that was why they had to alter their songs at restaurants. Learning about the public domain was by far my favorite topic. Overall, this class was very interesting and I learned so much throughout the semester. I really enjoyed this class and each class great.
Morgan Henkhaus
Online
I cannot believe class in coming to an end, but it was such a treat to use my media law knowledge in real life events. This class wasn't one of those courses you just try to pass, this material is important to many things that are still relevant in today's day in age. I personally enjoyed this class a whole lot and it being online too! For me, media law was a challenge at times, but I am so glad I took this course. If I had to choose my favorite topic, the intellectual property chapter was most interesting to me. After learning about IP, I now catch myself double-checking certain companies logos or googling more information about IP. This course was one of those courses for me that challenged me to think outside of the box and to really critical think certain situations. Although I do not plan on becoming a lawyer anytime soon, I thoroughly enjoyed the complexity of this and proud of the turnout of effort I have given.
Thanks for a great semester and go 'stros!
Lesly De Leon
HON
I loved this class and learned so much. All of the topic we covered were interesting and made me want to learn more. However, I think the subject of libel is one of the most interesting ones and most relevant to me. As a journalist, it's helpful to understand how news outlets and journalists can be sued for libel. I think it's important for journalists to know the line between reporting true facts that might harm someone's reputation and spreading defamatory accusations.
Bria Wells - T/Th
There were many topics covered in this course that I found extremely interesting. I had a preconception about this class and what I thought I would take from it. To my surprise this was one of my favorite and the most stimulating classes that I’ve taken at Texas State. The cases that we’ve discussed all had some relevance to my life and future profession. Social media has made it easier to express our opinions about policies and politics, world problems and even unpopular opinions about celebrities and public figures. A few topics that sparked my interest in continuing to learn about media law were libel and emotional distress. New York Times v. Sullivan and Hustler Magazine v. Falwell set much needed standards for future cases involving the libel and infliction of emotion distress and those who are in the public eye. This class has really allowed me to look past the headlines and actually understand why cases like these are important and how they can affect the future of media. I look forward to applying what I have learned from this course to my career.
So for me, being the second time I have taken this class, I am still finding myself most interested in privacy and how it is handled in regards to free speech and the first amendment of our constitution. Hulk Hogan's issue only peaked my interest in this topic. And even after going over it again this semester, and revisiting it, I still find myself torn between both sides of the issue. And honestly, I believe this to be because I can't decide how I feel, but the stance that I usually take happens to be on how I feel about the person or company involved instead of how I genuinely feel about the issue.
Personally, I suppose the free speech topic is more relatable because of how much I love to push the envelope. It always makes me recall certain experiences I have had where I found myself in trouble but because I, at one time, was a smart ass little kid, seemed to manage a way of getting out of that trouble by explaining what my rights were. Looking back, I mostly just laugh at myself.
Currently, any topics that bring up privacy and our first amendment make me reconsider my position and more often than not I find myself teetering on the fence. Besides Hogan, another issue I found myself arguing was with Apple and the case of the phone that the CIA/FBI wanted opened. I didn't find myself siding much with the terrorists except when I said, 'well, what if this was me....and I didn't kill all of these people...should the government be able to force a company to unlock my phone, see my dick pics and conversations with my drug dealer only to find out that they have the wrong guy and wrong phone. And now, they can see all of these other things that may be less than desirable and now all over CNN from an inside source...HELL NO.'...and if I have nothing to hide...let me leave my feelings with this quote, 'If you think privacy is unimportant for you because you have nothing to hide, you might as well say free speech is unimportant for you because you have nothing useful to say.'
Corey D., ONLINE MC4301
Shana Elliott- MC4301 T/TH 12:30
Every aspect of this class was an interest to me and I learned a lot not only about law, but about how law connects to everything in life as well. One of the most interesting parts for me would have to be is how powerful the first amendment is and the impact of freedom of speech, freedom of religion, the right to protest peacefully and the other important rights we have as citizens. We are very lucky to have this system in our country, as for other countries don't even have the right to speak or express what they're feeling without being prosecuted.
In particular with the freedom of expression, the Texas v. Johnson case comes to mind instantly, because I thought burning the Texas flag or American flag was illegal. Although, it was overturned multiple times, the USSC decided it is not right for government to prohibit an expression even though society finds it offensive. Without our freedom of expression there would be no change in the world, and would be very limited in what our society could believe in or feel.
Even though America may have it's flaws, compared to other countries, America has a good justice system that protects citizens in many ways through the first amendment and many other laws/constitutional rights put in place.
Sandy Davidson TTH 12:30
I think my favorite topic we discussed in class was about all the privacy torts and especially on intrusion of privacy. It is crazy to think that when it come's to an individual's private matters like in lawrence and griswold, there used to be laws that restricted someone's private life matter and it is interesting to see that as time goes by, those laws also changed also. It seems so silly now for us to prohibit someone in engaging in sodomy or making it almost impossible to get abortions but it is interesting to learn about how things were different back then and how we have changed and evolved from that. I'm very happy that this class is a requirement for mass communication majors because it really has been one of my favorite classes i've ever taken at Texas State.
I personally related to the Taylor Bell case because I grew up in an extremely strict and religious public high school. I was not allowed to express myself in many ways - be it with my clothing or my hair style. I was not allowed to talk about an array of subjects, and criticism of teachers and school staff was one of them. I personally believe in watching the watchers. Often times, humans, when given power, abuse their role over the lives of others. They do not find it necessary to explain their decisions or their regulations. They write everything that don't agree with off as a "distraction." For this reason, the Moot Court experience meant a lot to me.
Isabel C (TTH)
I found this class more interesting than I thought I was. Throughout the semester we discussed a lot of different topics. One of the most interesting topics that I found was the power of the first amendment. I never really truly understood how powerful and important the first amendment was till after taking this class. Even though I have my own opinions about how the Supreme Court ruled on certain cases I did find a lot of the rulings to be logical. I also really enjoyed learning about public figures. I never really knew the depth of how public figures have different legal matters than regular people because of their access to the public. Overall, I really enjoyed this class!
Amanda May TTH
The most challenging thing you've had us do this semester is this. Narrowing down which topic is the most interesting couldn't be more difficult. Everything you talked about immediately grabbed my attention and was very intriguing. This class had a huge hype behind it about how difficult it was and this class was challenging nonetheless, but hands down THE best class I have taken through my time in SJMC or even Texas State.
I find the First Amendment and free speech section the most interesting. It is known that we do have free speech, but to learn about how broad that free speech and expression truly is was eye opening. I would have never imagined that flag burning would be something that is protected and something that is given the okay. Seeing how far words can be pushed before it is considered not protected was truly surprising that most people have such free range in what they say and try and get across.
I am grateful for this class for it has shown me the path that I wish the pursue after graduation. You have such a passion for this class and it shows in your teaching style and your students engagement. Thank you for a semester full of stress and knowledge. Hands down will never forget this class and everything you have taught me.
Brandon B. (TTh)
What I found most relevant and useful in this class was everything about free speech, defamation and libel. I'm a public relations major and all of these USSC cases that we have looked at fairly closely has helped me understand why I'm allowed to publish opinions, criticisms and even harsh truths about public officials and public figures. Being in public relations, I may come across clients that have had that happen to them and I may have to use the things I've learned from this class to develop a press release or public announcement to help an organization or business be looked upon in a positive light. It's very interesting to me how mass comm majors all require these freedoms to do our jobs affectively.
I cannot believe that this semester has flown by! I had been so nervous in taking this course just through various comments from peers, but I enjoyed this course. It was definitely challenging, but thats what makes it better makes you push yourself to learn why things happened the way they did. I can honestly say I have learned a lot through this course a lot of history I wasn't quite aware of and laws that I can understand more thoroughly and carry from here on out. My favorite subject was definitely Libel. Although I feared it the most because it was the one you mentioned the most at the beginning of the semester it was the most interesting out of all. Actually understanding Sullivan and The Privacy Laws. I have learned a lot of things that I need to be careful as an advertising major.
Thanks for a great semester Mr. Martinez!
T/TH - 12:30 pm
Valarie K. TTh
I think learning about the different cases for free speech was the most interesting to me. Learning about all the cases made me realize different ways free speech is expressed. I also really liked this class becaause I took business law and it was boring to me but media law was cool maybe because I had a great professor who was excited about the subject. Also because these are things I should be aware of when I start my career.
Lauren V.
T/Th 12:30
To start out I want to say thank you for making this class engaging and interesting. There was never a dull moment in this class and every week I came back wanting to know more and more. The most interesting topics in this course for me would have to be the free speech and privacy cases. When you discussed the case involving Oliver Sipple, I wanted nothing more than to scream in rage because I felt like the law wasn't protecting him and being fair. However, once you explained that his status of being gay was newsworthy and you can't silence the media. I had a new understanding of how the law actually works. Now I still don't believe it was right for them to publish it but I would like to believe that the supreme court did what in the best interest of the First Amendment. There are so many more topics that I found interesting throughout the semester but that one in particular really stood out to me. I know that there will never be a moment in my career that I don't look back and think about this course and the knowledge it has given me. It has really made me want to speak out and stand up for what I believe in. If we never speak up and let our government know how we feel, personally, as an American the laws they set in place then I can see why America doesn't have room for improvement. My hope is that I can continue to stay engaged on current events and hopefully one day get the chance to speak up and use my First Amendment rights.
Colleen P. (TTH)
I cannot express enough how much I loved this class. I've always found law interesting, but this class was my first time actually studying specifics and wowww this stuff is fun. I think the muscles in my right hand are significantly larger due to the amount of content and note-taking, but it's okay.
For what I found most interesting, it might be easier to point out the shorter list of what I didn't find AS interesting. Intellectual property, privacy rights, physical harm-- a few that didn't really spark my interest. All towards the end of the semester though, so that could have just been fatigue.
Story of a Lawsuit, 1st Amendment, Speech Distinctions and Libel-- those were a lot of fun. I now notice which step a lawsuit is at when I watch TV/movies about law. I loved hearing the precise facts of a case and then deciding: if something was content based or neutral, and then using the appropriate level of scrutiny; expressed opinion or statement of fact; if there was compelling or important interest; if something was defamatory or just offensive; if someone was public or private, why, and then proving the appropriate level of fault; ahhh basically anything dealing with free speech. I loved when I'd write out a case, and at the end the phrase "because we value. free. speech." came natural to write. Yes, because it's nice living in a country that values this, but mainly because I just loved seeing the not-so-obvious, precise reason 1st Amendment protection conquered. It's fascinating.
I think I liked NYT v US and Times v Sullivan for the same reason. Since they were both landmark cases, I spent a lot of time studying them and since I now know them beginning to end, I love looking at the whole picture and seeing exactly how and why it played out they way it did. It's like a beautiful dance that flawlessly weaved through the court system. These cases seem to have worked out for the sole purpose of giving us the standards they each did, when in reality they were probably very messy and difficult at the time.
I really liked Gertz v Welch just because Gertz completely demolished his opponent double-time.
I also liked looking at a series of cases (anti gov, privacy) and noticing the progression of law through each ruling, and realizing a big factor in that was the court make-up at the time; It made everything seem less abstract, and reminded me that this is real history.
As far as learning more, I'm taking a Criminal Law course this summer and I'm hoping it's similar, or at least just as stimulating, to this one. I also want to read the OJ Simpson book "If I Did It," and watch the American Crime Story.
Thank you for complimenting my semester! I attribute a lot of my interest in this subject to the way you taught this course. I would take it again in a second. Have a great summer, G-Mart.
Lidia B. - TTH 12:30
Media Law in general was more intriguing then I had anticipated, with that being said this class had me reflecting my current views and few of the topics really had me thinking. One topic was were the law draws boundaries for private facts and the type of people who are affected by those law. Although, celebrities do face the consequences of having their life on the spotlight, it is understandable for some facts wanted to stay private. The case that stood out to me in regards to private facts is Sipple v. Chronicle Publishing Co. The fact that the courts deemed his sexual orientation newsworthy and how it affected him was not seem fair, because he should have only been recognized for his heroic actions. However, considering the time the case took place it makes sense. It makes me reflect on how the law changes over time, because I feel that the same case would have ended with different results had it been taken place nowadays.
Another topic I liked learning about was copyright. I was very surprised to hear that Disney had bought the rights to the Star Wars franchise. I will say that I believe through a business point of view that I was very smart of Disney. I did not know that copyrights end and things can eventually fall into the public domain, very cool.
How we interrupt the law or specially the first amendment does evolve as our society changes, but all I can hope is for the interpretation to give justice at all times to the people the law is serving. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the intellectual challenge the course brought and I never failed to get a kick out of the humorous conversations. Thank you for always bringing your passion of media law to class, as it made the course even more interesting!
Samantha C TTH
This class has been so interesting and mind blowing in so many ways. I have learned so much and have enjoyed this course!
My favorite topic would have to be freedom of speech. I always thought I knew exactly what it meant but turns out I knew only a tiny bit. Finding out exactly how much free speech people have has been shocking but also helps me understand the first amendment so much better. The flag burning case is what I questioned the most cause i couldn't personally accept that people can get away with it but now that I am more educated about free speech I understand how it all ties together and why that free speech has been protected.
Thanks again do such a great semester!!!
I learned so much through the forums, it was really engaging and I like that although this class was online it was still very hands on... There was a lot of topics I enjoyed, I really liked talking about libel but the most interesting topic for me was how they should still monitor what goes on the media and at what times. The generations to come are only learning by what is around them and the information that is accessible for them. If we don't regulate then they might learn the wrong things.
Courtney Strickland T/TH
I really enjoyed this class and everything that we covered. This semester sure did fly by fast. The topic that I found most interesting was about copyright. Many people don't know about how singing the "Happy birthday" song originated and that when singing it anywhere they have to change it to that persons name or else it technically copyright. I also am mind blown about how Disney got the leverage to to get the rights fro, Star Wars franchise. When looking at that in a perspective of sales you can see that this very smart and strategic of Disney. This makes me wonder what they are going to do about Mikey Mouse. Since copyrights end and allows the public domain to have access to these rights. In the future this will be very fascinating to see what happens
This class really taught me a lot and how you have to be very careful with publishing things music, videos, art, etc. It also goes along with copyrighting as well. These were the most interesting topics in my opinion.
Overall I really learned a lot and this class and enjoyed it. This class taught me a lot. I thought the topics were great and got me thinking a lot bringing up many topics of discussion. This course was a very challenging course. It made me really know my cases and really be aware why media law is required to take. This applys to not just journalism majors but its apply to all majors in mass communication and evern business
I really enjoyed this class and everything that we covered. This semester sure did fly by fast. The topic that I found most interesting was about copyright. Many people don't know about how singing the "Happy birthday" song originated and that when singing it anywhere they have to change it to that persons name or else it technically copyright. I also am mind blown about how Disney got the leverage to to get the rights fro, Star Wars franchise. When looking at that in a perspective of sales you can see that this very smart and strategic of Disney. This makes me wonder what they are going to do about Mikey Mouse. Since copyrights end and allows the public domain to have access to these rights. In the future this will be very fascinating to see what happens
This class really taught me a lot and how you have to be very careful with publishing things music, videos, art, etc. It also goes along with copyrighting as well. These were the most interesting topics in my opinion.
Overall I really learned a lot and this class and enjoyed it. This class taught me a lot. I thought the topics were great and got me thinking a lot bringing up many topics of discussion. This course was a very challenging course. It made me really know my cases and really be aware why media law is required to take. This applies to not just journalism majors but its apply to all majors in mass communication and every business.
Courtney Strickland/ T/TH
I really enjoyed this class and everything that we covered. This semester sure did fly by fast. The topic that I found most interesting was about copyright. Many people don't know about how singing the "Happy birthday" song originated and that when singing it anywhere they have to change it to that persons name or else it technically copyright. I also am mind blown about how Disney got the leverage to to get the rights fro, Star Wars franchise. When looking at that in a perspective of sales you can see that this very smart and strategic of Disney. This makes me wonder what they are going to do about Mikey Mouse. Since copyrights end and allows the public domain to have access to these rights. In the future this will be very fascinating to see what happens
This class really taught me a lot and how you have to be very careful with publishing things music, videos, art, etc. It also goes along with copyrighting as well. These were the most interesting topics in my opinion.
Overall I really learned a lot and this class and enjoyed it. This class taught me a lot. I thought the topics were great and got me thinking a lot bringing up many topics of discussion. This course was a very challenging course. It made me really know my cases and really be aware why media law is required to take. This applies to not just journalism majors but its apply to all majors in mass communication and every business.
T/TH
I gained so much more from this class then I truly was expecting. I learned so much about the legal aspect of things and discussed so many interesting cases. You made the material very fun and exciting and even though there was no attendance policy, I made it to every class. I enjoyed everything from Free Speech and what was protected and what wasn't protected under the Amendment to small details about the OJ Simpson case throughout the semester. I've been in the bar/restaurant industry for almost 10 years and never really understood the whole traditional "Happy Birthday" song and how that was never sung, especially in a corporate setting. Thanks to you, it all makes sense now.
Since this didn't take the first time, I'll retype it. I enjoyed the intellectual property and copyright section of the course because as an artist and person interested in film, this is important to me. Hearing the different cases regarding free speech was interesting because there are so many things to consider with media, copyright, and law. It was good to learn about both sides of arguments, plaintiffs and defendants, as well as public figures and private citizens.
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