This course will examine the dynamic legal and ethical issues facing the strategic communication field with an emphasis on central legal concepts such as First Amendment jurisprudence, commercial speech, and intellectual property. Additional concepts to be explored include defamation, privacy, indecency/obscenity, and political speech across print, broadcast, and digital media. Students will apply these concepts through a combination of discussion, activities, and case studies to current legal and ethical challenges relevant to strategic communication and explore the larger implications for mass media and society at large.