lawyer

Media Law is a legal field that relates to legal regulation of the telecommunications industry, information technology, broadcasting, advertising, the entertainment industry, censorship, and internet and online services among others.

As the popularity of various media have proliferated, the field of media law has become more important. Just over a century ago, the media would have consisted of print and live performances alone. Today, the media comprises not only the printed word and live actors, but also radio, television, movies, video games, mobile devices, and the Internet.

Intellectual Property

One of the biggest areas of concern related to media law is intellectual property. This can take the form of copyright concerns for original works, trademarks for different brands, or even patents for media related technologies or processes. Licensing has been an enormous area of concern in recent years as means of illegally disseminating copyrighted works has become increasingly prevalent. Whether using peer-to-peer technologies or torrents, electronic file sharing has been seen as both an enormously beneficial means of spreading word for a new creative work or as a vehicle for enormous revenue losses to the TV, movie, and music industries.

First Amendment and Censorship

Another enormous area of concern for media law relates to the right to free speech, censorship, and defamation. In the mid-20th century, a number of political groups put pressure on the entertainment industry to begin self-regulating its content. This led to things like the movie rating system (G, PG, PG-13, R, and NC-17) that virtually every moviegoer is familiar with today. Similar pressures led to warning stickers on music albums with explicit lyrics and ratings for television shows and video games. However, this has also resulted in a backlash, as creatives have pushed against the boundaries of this censorship, raising arguments of de facto infringement on free speech.

Defamation

Given the nature of the media, the threat of defamation spreading far and wide through modern technologies is a matter of great legal concern. Defamation is the spreading of untruthful information about a person or entity that results in damages. When spoken, as on a television broadcast, an Internet video, or in a movie, defamation is called slander. When written, as on a website, newspaper, or other publication, defamation is called libel. Both slander and libel can be devastating to a person or entity, and recent media laws involve concerns such as cyberbullying, Internet stalking, and other forms of harm that modern media make readily possible.

For more information about Media Law, please visit the resources identified below. You can also find legal assistance with your Media Law question or issue by vising our Law Firms page.