This seminar is an introduction to the legal principles at work in the media industry. We will focus on both the substance of some “core” issues -- the First Amendment, defamation, privacy, copyright -- and the constitutional, statutory and regulatory schemes through which these principles are applied. We will also examine the different manner in which the law treats types of content (e.g., entertainment and news) and modes of delivery (e.g., print, broadcast, cable, Internet) and why. Should journalists be given preferential treatment? And who is a journalist anyway? The ethical and moral dilemmas that media organizations and professionals face, and the manner in which such problems intersect with and diverge from the legal framework, is another focus of the course. If it is legal, is it right? We will examine how the consolidation of the media industry affects content decisions, and whether the uniquely “democratic” opportunities for citizen journalists and self-publishing offered by the Internet are an effective counter to the conglomeration and monopoly problem, as well as the role of the social media platforms and the law (and ethics) that govern them. We will explore the complex interplay between government and the media. Is the content and shape of media affected by corporate owners’ dependence on government largesse for their related businesses? Content will explore the extent to which the Internet should be regulated and will provide a good laboratory to examine governmental regulation versus self-regulation. What of fake news? Do journalists have a right to cover a President? Can a President decide to ban particular news organizations or journalists?