MEDIA LAW FOR PRODUCERS: COMM 359

Subject Headings | Reference Books | Periodicals | Databases |
Government Publications |Web Resources | Research Tips

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Subject Headings

The Library’s Reference Room and general book collections are organized using the Library of Congress system of subject headings. Some online databases use the same subject headings we use in the library. Use of these subject headings can make you a more effective researcher.

Listed below are some of the subject headings applicable to media and the law:

• Broadcasting
• Broadcast journalism
• Radio broadcast
• Television broadcasting
• Cable Television
• Mass Media-Law and Legislation
• Radio-Law and Legislation United States
• Television-law and legislation
• United States. Federal Communications Commission

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Reference and Background Information

Refer to these background information sources found in the Library's Reference Room when you are just starting to research a topic:

• Historic U.S. court cases: An encyclopedia Ref KF385.A4 J64 2001
• Illustrated great decisions of the Supreme Court Ref KF4549 .M334 2000
• Oxford guide to United States Supreme Court decisions Ref KF4549 .O97 1999
• Encyclopedia of international media and communications Ref P87.5 .E532 2003
• Television industry: A historical dictionary Ref PN1992.3.U5 S57 1991
• Encyclopedia of television, cable, and video Ref PN1992.18 .R44 1992

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Books

You can search the Library Catalog for books by keyword or using subject headings: Keyword Search Example: "fairness doctrine"

Subject Heading Examples:
 

• Fairness doctrine(Broadcasting)--United States.
• Broadcasting--Law and legislation--United States.

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Periodicals
 

This is a list of some of the important journals in the field of media law that the University Library subscribes to.
 

• American Journalism Review
• Broadcasting and cable
• Communication law and policy
• Federal communications law journal
• Journal of broadcasting
• Journal of broadcasting & electronic media
• Media and the law
• Media history
• Media industry newsletter
• Mediaweek

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Magazine, Journal & Newspaper Article Databases

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ACCESS NOTE
Off-campus access to most online indexes and databases is available to UWSP students and staff through Virtual Private Network (VPN). Click here for instructions.

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Below is a list of some of the databases the Library subscribes to that are useful for media law research.  To access these databases, use the Find Resources function in ReSearchPoint:

ABI Inform

Business periodical database including advertising, marketing, economics, finance, taxation, etc.
 

Lexis/Nexis

Legal research, business and industry information, newspapers.
 

EbscoHost Academic Search Elite

Scholarly journals in a number of disciplines
 

EbscoHost MasterFile Premiere

Business and popular magazines
 

Communication Abstracts

Communication related publications on a world-wide scale. Coverage includes not only communication literature but also literature in other disciplines that is relevant to communication researchers.
 

Congressional Universe

Bills, testimonies, hot topics, laws, and regulations.
 

WilsonWeb

Use Reader's Guide for general interest periodicals and OmniFile for multi-disciplinary journals.
 

Newspapers

Proquest National Newspapers database, Wisconsin Newspapers and Academic Universe

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Government Documents 6^th Floor

As an officially designated federal depository library, the department receives over 800 publications weekly. The collection includes the official documents of the U.S. Government from 1789 to the present. This area is a library in itself, with a unique method of acquiring, cataloging, shelving, and circulating materials. Patrons are asked to seek assistance from the staff at the Documents Reference desk.

Library Catalog

The library's catalog provides access to many of the U.S. and Wisconsin Government Publications from 1976 to the present. Please note that government publications older than 1976 are not included in the online catalog and that some more recent materials have not yet been added. To locate the call numbers for these materials, patrons will need to use the Government Document department's specialized electronic indexes or paper indexes.

Congressional Universe

This index provides comprehensive access to the rich resource of congressional publications from 1970 to the present. Each year Congress generates over half a million pages of information on a phenomenal range of subjects covering its investigative, oversight, and legislative activities. Abstracts provide detailed summaries of each publication and the SUDOC call number.
 

Statistical Universe

This index provides access to authoritative statistical data on population, business and finance, trade, agriculture, health, transportation, government programs, social and economic issues. Since the U.S. Government is the world's most prolific source of statistical data, the department has only the source publications which are indicated by a SUDOC call number.

Example of a Government Document Title: Telecommunications: Data gathering weaknesses in FCC's survey of information on factors underlying cable rate changes.
SuDocs Number: GA 1.5/2:GAO-03-742 T

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Web resources

Check the sites below for information from government, education and non-profit organizations.

American Communication Association

Contains links to information of interest to all in the field of communications, such as freedom of speech and information issues, telecommunications issues, and guides to information in many communications subfields.
 

Federal Communications Commission

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulates interstate and international communications by radio, television, wire, satellite and cable.
 

FindLaw Communications Law Resource Guide

Lists communications law documents, briefs, books, government agencies/documents, web sites, related topic areas, and more. Sponsored by Westlaw.
 

First Amendment Center

Features comprehensive research coverage of key First Amendment issues and topics, a unique First Amendment Library and guest analyses by respected legal specialists.
 

International Journal of Communications Law and Policy

A free electronic journal devoted to the changing law, policy and technology of media regulation around the world. As a result of technological convergence the journal includes content covering traditional broadcasting and cable as well as internet and telecommunications.
 

Legal Information Institute at Cornell - Media Law Page

One of the premier sites on the web for legal research. Pulls together a broad array of primary law sources and other Internet law sites around specific topics. The pages also aim to provide some context for research in those primary materials by indicating the relative importance of Federal and state law, statutes, regulations and other sources on the particular topic.

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Research Tips
 

• Clearly identify your information need
• Identify key words and search terms to match your topic
• Develop search statements and strategies
• Revise your search terms and strategy to expand or narrow your results.
• Use the Library Catalog to find books and government documents
• Use ReSearchPoint to find journal articles
• Keep a research log to track what you have looked at and found useful (or not useful)
• If articles are not full text, check the Find It! Button to see if the article is full-text in another database or in print.
• Use Interlibrary Loan to get articles (and occasionally books) not available through the UWSP Library.
• Use Universal Borrowing to borrow books from any UW Library.
• Carefully evaluate the information you have found for usefulness and quality.
• Use the appropriate style guide to document and cite your research.
• Ask for HELP at the Reference Desk in person, by phone or email.
   

 Sources: UWSP Library, Stewart Library, Pierce Library, Univ of Washington Library