Spring 1999 Telecommunications and Free Speech

Telecommunications and Free Speech

Spring 1999

Syllabus

 

Note:  All references to page numbers refer to Thomas G. Krattenmaker, Telecommunications Law and Policy (2d edition 1998). References to the Supplemental Materials contained in this packet are noted as “Supp.”

 

1. Introduction: Spectrum Allocation Policies

  • Chapter One: The Broadcast Industry and its Regulators, pp. 3-34 (read as background)

  • Chapter Two: Spectrum Allocation, pp. 35-83

2. The Licensing Process

  • Chapter Three: Criteria for Evaluating Broadcast Industry Performance, pp. 85-92

  • Chapter Four: Licensing Broadcasters, pp. 93-146
  • Serafyn v. FCC, Supp., pp. 1-12

 

 

3. The Fairness Doctrine

  • Introduction, pp. 147-48

  • Miami Herald Publishing Co. v. Tornillo, pp. 148-50
  • Red Lion v. FCC and Notes, pp. 150-56
  • 1985 Report on the Fairness Doctrine and Notes, pp. 156-72
  • CBS v. Democratic National Committee, Supp., pp. 13-18

 

4. Political Broadcasting

A. Equal Time and Equal Opportunities

  • Note on Political Broadcasting, pp. 172-74

  • Notes and Kennedy for President Committee v. FCC, Supp., pp 19-24
  • Notes and CBS v. FCC, Supp., pp. 24-27
  • King Broadcasting Co. v. FCC, Supp., pp. 28-34
  • Telecommunications Research and Action Center (TRAC) v. FCC, Supp., pp. 35-43
  • Fulani v. FCC, Supp., pp. 44-54
  • In re Requests of Fox Broadcasting Co., Public Broadcasting Service, and Capital Cities/ABC, Inc., for Declaratory Rulings (August 19, 1996), Supp., pp. 55-66
  • In re Complaint of Ross Perot against ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox Broadcasting Co. (October 3, 1996), Supp., pp. 67-78
  • Becker v. FCC and Notes, Supp., pp. 79-83

B. Personal Attacks

  • In Letter of Ms. Loretta Smith, Supp., pp. 84-85

  • In re Personal Attack Complaint of Bree Walker Lampley, et. al., Supp., pp. 86-89
  • 47 CFR §§ 73.1920-41 (1997), Supp., pp. 90-93
  • Note on Modification of the Personal Attack Rules, Supp., pp. 94-95

 

5. Digital Television and Public Interest Obligations

  • Chapter Seven: Overview Case Study– High Definition Television, pp. 321-339

  • Soft Gore report will be price of consensus with commercial TV, Supp., pp. 96-98
  • Gore Report on Oligations of HDTV Broadcasters, Supp., pp. 99-276

 

6. Public Broadcasting

A. Editorial Control

  • Notes on Noncommercial Broadcasting, Supp., pp. 277-280

  • Arkansas Educational Television Commission v. Forbes, Supp., pp. 281-288
  • Knights of the Ku Klux Klan v. Bennett, Supp., pp. 289-304

B. Resources and Funding

  • Current briefings on public funding and increasing efficiency of public broadcasting, Supp., pp. 305-312

  • Tauzin/Markey bill would boost CPB 60 percent, Supp., pp. 313-316
  • Public Broadcasting Reform Act of 1998, Supp., pp. 317-325
  • Gore panel endorses adding educational DTV channels, Supp. pp. 326-331

 

7. Indecency and Violence

  • FCC v. Pacifica Foundation and Notes, pp. 175-82

  • Sable Communications v. FCC and Notes, pp. 480-488
  • ACT III (en banc opinion) and Notes, pp. 182-201
  • In Re Pacifica Foundation and Notes, pp. 201-205
  • Krattenmaker and Powe, Regulating Broadcast Programming, ch 5, Supp., pp. 332-351
  • Calvin and Hobbes, pp. 242-245

 

8. The V-Chip and Children’s Television

A. The V-Chip

  • Balkin, Media Filters, the V-Chip, and the Foundations of Broadcast Regulation, pp. 245-257

  • Meese v. Keene, Supp., pp. 352-354
  • Commission Finds Industry Video Programming Rating System Acceptable, Supp., pp. 355-361
  • Notes on V-Chip Rating System, Supp., pp. 362-364
  • Technical Requirements to Enable Blocking of Video Programming Based on Program Ratings, Supp., pp. 365-372

B. Children’s Television

  • Cases and Notes on Children’s Television, pp. 205-230

  • Semantic Battle over Children’s TV, Supp., pp. 373-374

 

9. Format Regulation and Television Deregulation

  • Cases and Notes on Format Regulation, pp. 231-242

  • Cases and Notes on Television Deregulation, pp. 257-266
  • Chapter Six: Regulating Broadcasting: Fostering Competition in Broadcasting, pp. 267-320
  • FCC moving, cautiously, on ownership, Supp., pp. 375-384

 

10. Cable Television and Must Carry

A. Introduction

  • Chapter Eleven: Early Regulatory Responses to Cable, pp. 507-531 (background)

  • Chapter Twelve: Regulation of Cable, 1980-92, pp. 533-536 (background)
  • Notes on Telephone Regulation and Natural Monopoly, pp. 343-352 (background)

B. Must Carry Rules

  • Chapter Thirteen: Broadcast-Cable Relationships, pp. 537-555

  • Turner Broadcasting v. FCC (Turner I), pp. 555-572
  • Turner Broadcasting v. FCC (Turner II), pp. 572-596
  • Notes and Carriage of the Transmissions of Digital Television Broadcast Stations, Supp., pp. 385-398

 

11. Content Regulation of Cable

A. PEG and Leased Access Channels

  • Chapter Fourteen: Compelled Access, pp. 597-604

  • Time Warner Cable v. Bloomberg, Supp., pp. 399-411

B. Indecency

  • Cruz v. Ferre and Notes, pp. 605-608

  • Denver Area Educational Telecommunications Consortium v. FCC and Notes, pp. 608-623

 

12. Cable and Satellite

A. Cable Franchising Requirements

  • Chapter Sixteen, Franchising, pp. 625-636

  • Time Warner Entertainment Co. v. FCC, Supp., pp. 412-445

B. Direct Broadcast Satellite

  • In Re Implementation of Section 25 of the CTCPA: Direct Broadcast Satellite Public Interest Obligations, Supp., pp. 446-508

C. Fostering Competition in Cable Television

  • Controlling Horizontal and Vertical Ownership, pp. 637-654

 

13. The Internet

  • ACLU v. Reno, pp. 488-505

  • Child Online Protection Act, Supp., pp. 509-515
  • ACLU v. Reno (Reno II), Supp., pp. 516-520
  • Mainstream Loudoun v. Bd. of Trustees of Loudoun County Library, Supp., pp. 521-539