Chapter 13: Media Law

Exercises

1. The First Amendment guarantees a wide-range of freedoms. However, it also protects unpopular, sometimes controversial actions and speech. How do you feel about the First Amendment's protection of actions and ideas such as racial supremacy speech and flag burning?


2. If a national shield law is enacted to protect journalists, individuals entitled to that protection would have to be identified or classified as journalists. What is your definition of a journalist? Is there a difference in a beat writer for a metropolitan paper and an independent blogger? Are there similarities that would justify extending protections to bloggers?

3. ABC's undercover investigation of Food Lion supermarket brought attention to questionable practices in both food handling and journalism.

•  Source: Who reported on Food Lion's unsanitary food handling practices and how did the company react?

•  Analyze & Reflect: Was ABC's undercover reporting unethical? Could there have been another angle to get the story or validate the concerns of improper meat handling?

•  Examine: Are there any other actions Food Lion could have taken? Do you agree that the lawsuit was simply an attempt to salvage their image with consumers?

•  Conclude: ABC's investigation did uncover tangible evidence proving Food Lion's “guilt” in some of the supermarket's practices. Did the ruling in the case deter future undercover investigations or will a slap on the wrist allow other journalists to continue in ABC's footsteps? How do you think consumers reacted to the investigation? Big business?