MEDIA REGULATION IN THE US |
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| TYPE | ISSUE | DISPUTES RESOLVED THROUGH ... | |
| CONTENT | All media | Defamation / libel, slander | Private civil lawsuits only |
| All media | Invasion of Privacy / false light, publication of private facts | Private civil lawsuits only Public figures bringing suit have high burden of proof |
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| All media, esp. photography | Invasion of Privacy / intrustion by media, misappropriation of likeness | Limited regulation enforced through private lawsuits | |
| All media | Copyright | Library of Congress, also private civil lawsuits | |
| All media | Prior Restraint / censorship | Federal agencies seek court injunctions Very high burden of proof on government Military situations are exceptions |
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| Broadcasting standards |
Obscenity and indecency on TV | FCC | |
| Broadcasting standards |
Advertising on TV to children | FCC | |
| Advertising | Important for Advertising students | Federal Trade Commission (FTC) | |
| Advertising | Medical products | Food and Drug Administration (FDA) | |
| STRUCTURE | Print ownership | Anti-trust laws | Congress |
| Broadcast ownership | Anti-trust laws, also regulations | Congress, FCC | |
| Broadcast, cable and satellite technology | Frequency allocation, technical standards, etc. | FCC | |
| Note: FCC, FTC and FDA create administrative rules, may hold hearings, and may issue decisions that may be challenged in courts | |||